Transcripts released on Friday of the negotiations between an Orlando Police negotiator and the Pulse gunman gave new insight into the tragedy.

In the three calls, Omar Mateen made demands related to the Islamic State, Syria, Iraq, the Boston Marathon bomber , and threatened more violence.

Mateen first called 911 just minutes into the Pulse shooting in the early morning hours of June 12. Then, at 2:48 AM, a negotiator with Orlando Police called him and asked Mateen where he was.

Mateen’s responsed, “No. Because you have to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. They are killing a lot of innocent people. What am I to do here when my people are getting killed over there?”

Soon after, Mateen told the negotiator that he set bombs outside the nightclub-“By the way, there is some vehicles outside that have some bombs just to let you know. Your people are going to get it and I’m going to ignite it if they try to do anything stupid.”

Moments later, the gunman said that the bombs could take out a city block.

There were long periods between all three calls where Mateen would not respond to the negotiator. Even when the police negotiator wasn’t getting answers, he kept Mateen on the phone and kept calling him back when Mateen would hang up.  Orlando Police Chief John Mina said that bought time for first responders who were trying to save lives.

Chief Mina said, “During those conversations, our officers were inside rescuing people from behind the bar, from dressing rooms, so there was a lot going on and it was from the composure of our negotiator that made that possible,”

At the end of the last call, as Mateen continued to ask the negotiator to get the United States to stop air strikes in Syria and Iraq, the negotiator tries to convince Mateen to come out of the club.

By Prakriti Neogi