A white supremacist group claims it trained the suspect arrested after 17 people were shot dead at a Florida high school.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, has confessed that he “began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on school grounds”, according to a police report released on Thursday.
It described how he took an Uber to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School carrying a black duffel bag and a black backpack filled with loaded magazines.
The details emerged as officers said they still searching for a motive that would explain why a young man would commit the second worst school shooting in US history.
One potential lead came from the Republic of Florida, a white nationalist group, which said Cruz was a member of one of its cells and had taken part in paramilitary drills.
However, Jordan Jereb, its leader, distanced the organisation from the killings.
“He acted on his own behalf of what he just did and he’s solely responsible for what he just did,” he said.
The group wants Florida to become its own white ethno-state. On its website it claims to be “a white civil rights organisation fighting for white identitarian politics.”
Mr Jereb also told the Associated Press that Cruz had “trouble with a girl” and that he believed the timing of the attack, on Valentine's Day, was not a coincidence.
Law enforcement officers have been poring over Cruz’s social media accounts, as they search for clues.
Two Instagram accounts, which pupils at the school said belonged to the suspect, showed off a selection of firearms, including at least two shotguns and a box of rifle cartridges.
One of the accounts had a profile picture showing a bandanna-covered head wearing a Trump campaign “Make America Great Again” hat. The image has spread virally during the past 24 hours although it was not clear whether Cruz was its subject.
Taken together, the image and the Republic of Florida’s claim have heightened speculation that Cruz was motivated by far Right politics.
Scott Israel, Broward County Sheriff, said on Thursday that investigators were looking into any connection with the paramilitary group but added it was “not confirmed at this time”.
However, white supremacist ideology has been a factor in a number of shootings. Most recently, in December 2017, William Atchison killed two students at a school in New Mexico before shooting himself dead. He had previously posted on white nationalist websites including The Daily Stormer using the username ‘Future Mass Shooter’.
After carrying out the attack in Florida, the suspect is alleged to have discarded his rifle before disappearing into the crowd of students leaving the school and escaping, according to the latest version of events described by the local sheriff.
From there he headed headed to a Wal-Mart and bought a drink at a Subway restaurant before walking to a McDonald’s. He was detained about 40 minutes later.
Mr Cruz has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and is being held at the county jail.
He appeared before a judge via video link wearing an orange jump suit and with his hands cuffed at his waist. He spoke only to say he understood the circumstances of his arrest.
Melissa McNeill, his court appointed public defender, described him as “a child”.
“He’s sad. He’s mournful,” she said after the brief hearing. “He is fully aware of what is going on, and he’s just a broken human being.”
Authorities are searching through his background for warning signs that may have been missed. The FBI confirmed it had been told of a comment left by a YouTube user named “Nikolas Cruz” saying, “Im going to be a professional school shooter,” but said it was unable to identify the person behind it.
Cruz was expelled last year from the school of about 3000 students and which stands in a wealthy suburb.
Pupils who knew him described a volatile teenager, whose mother died from flu last November leaving him an orphan and whose strange behaviour had led to his increasing isolation.
Thousands of people – including relatives, friends and neighbours of the victims – gathered for a candlelit vigil on Thursday night in Parkland, Florida, not far from the scene of the shooting.
The school’s senior class president read the names of all 17 people who lost their lives.
Politicians led calls for tighter regulation of firearms while the crowd chanted: “No more guns.”
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democratic member of congress from Florida, said: “We must hold other people's elected officials accountable. We must make sure that they hear us.”
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
The years Ramadan fell in May
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
more from Janine di Giovanni
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
