![CNN 'Counterterrorism Analyst' Still Doesn't Know If Orlando Attack Was 'Terrorism' [VIDEO]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Philip-Mudd-Screen-Grab-CNN-6-14-2016-e1465914002493.jpg "CNN 'Counterterrorism Analyst' Still Doesn't Know If Orlando Attack Was 'Terrorism' [VIDEO]")
CNN counterterrorism analyst Philip Mudd says he doesn’t know if the Orlando attack which killed 49 and injured 53 people was “act of terror.”
Appearing on “CNN Newsroom With Carol Costello” on Tuesday, Mudd wondered “how can we make a judgment about his mental state if we’re not certain what motivated him.” (RELATED: FBI: Suspect Bragged About Ties To ‘Terrorist Organizations’)
Costello asked, “In your mind, with what we know about this investigation thus far about this Orlando shooter, did radical Islam, you know, was that his inspiration to go shoot up this club?”
Mudd replied, “It is not clear to me. And in many cases like this, you can see a clear link between the shooter and a group like ISIS or al Qaeda, and therefore, we can jump to the conclusion that it was an act of terror. It’s not even clear to me in this case yet that we have an act of terror. That is not clear to me.”
Bewildered, Costello interjected, “Really. Let stop right there. So this may not be terrorism in your mind?”(RELATED: CNN Warns Of ‘Surge’ Of ISIS Attacks In America During Ramadan [VIDEO])
“I’m not certain yet,” Mudd replied, “Let me explain. Very simple: to commit an act of terror, a subject, in this case, the shooter, has to go into the location with the intent to murder people for a political purpose. We’re suggesting as we debate the mental state of the individual, what his relationship was with an ex-wife he abused at one point, with his visits to the club before. We’re suggesting we understand the mental state of the subject well enough to be confident we know why he committed that act and therefore, to know he was a terrorist. I’m not confident.” (RELATED: FBI Called Off Investigation Of Orlando Shooter Because They Thought His Coworkers Were Racist [VIDEO])
Amazed, Costello replied, “So people might be hearing this and saying, ‘Phil, come on. That’s crazy. Of course this was an act of terrorism.'”
Mudd said, “Well, excuse me, I’ve done this for 25 years. You’ve got to judge what the mental state was and we think he was mentally unstable, how can we make a judgment about his mental state if we’re not certain what motivated him. Not clear yet.” (RELATED: 10 Things We Know About Omar Mateen — The Orlando Shooter)
Omar Mateen reportedly called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS before proceeding with his attack. (RELATED: Hillary Breaks With Obama, Now Calls Orlando Attack ‘Radical Islamism’)
According to CNN’s bio for Mudd, he was a CIA analyst “specializing in South Asia and then the Middle East” and “began work in the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center in 1992 and then served on the National Intelligence Council as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia (1995-1998).”