Vegas killer Stephen Paddock went on a cruise to the MIDDLE EAST within the last year – as ISIS expert says a link to the terror group should not be ruled out
The cruise was one of 12 Stephen Paddock went on in the past year as police source confirms they are studying the trips for clues about his motive
VEGAS killer Stephen Paddock visited the Middle East on a cruise within the last year, a police source has said.
The anonymous official confirmed the gunman had travelled on a dozen voyages over the past few years - one of which was to the region.
Police had earlier dismissed three claims by Middle Eastern terror group ISIS that Paddock carried out the attack on its behalf after converting to Islam six months ago.
But an anonymous police source last night told Associated Press that investigators are closely analysing the cruises he took in the years leading up to the massacre.
Among popular cruise destinations in the Middle East are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Oman, the Jordanian port of Aqaba, Bahrain, Qatar and a number of Egyptian ports.
The Sun reported yesterday how on ISIS expert believes it is plausible that Paddock was in contact with ISIS.
Rukmini Callimachi, a reporter with the New York Times who covers the fanatics for the influential newspaper, said IS’s claim carried weight.
She said: “ISIS has rarely claimed attacks that were not by either their members or sympathisers.
“I don’t buy the argument that they are now opportunistically claiming attacks to deflect from battlefield losses.”
Fifty-eight people were killed and more than 500 injured when Paddock pumped thousands of bullets into a musical festival crowd from the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel.
He fired into the crowd using his arsenal of more than 20 assault rifles and killed himself shortly before police burst into his room.
Publicly, investigators have said they are struggling to establish a motive for the massacre.
ISIS has claimed responsibility on three separate occasions, claiming Paddock converted to Islam six months ago.
But investigators ruled out any links to the terror group.
Police are "very confident" he did not have an accomplice during the shooting - but have not ruled out that someone else could have been in the room beforehand.
One source confirmed police believe he used a prostitute in the days before his attack.
The source confirmed the FBI is speaking to a number of local call girls in a bid to track her down.
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