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US Navy Grounds 175 Saudi Aviation Students Following Mass Shooting - Reports

© REUTERS / US NAVYNaval Air Station Pensacola is seen in an aerial view in Pensacola, Florida, U.S. August 14, 2012. Picture taken August 14, 2012. U.S.
Naval Air Station Pensacola is seen in an aerial view in Pensacola, Florida, U.S. August 14, 2012. Picture taken August 14, 2012. U.S.  - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Navy temporarily grounded all Saudi aviation students studying at military bases in the United States following a likely terrorist-inspired mass shooting that killed three sailors and injured eight, Military.com reported.
"A safety stand-down and operational pause began Monday for some 175 Saudi Arabian students at Naval Air Stations Pensacola, Whiting Field and Mayport, all in Florida", Lieutenant Andriana Genualdi, a Navy spokesperson told the publication on Tuesday.

Following the 6 December shooting by a Saudi second lieutenant in training at Pensacola, training was suspended for all personnel.

Genualdi said some commands have resumed training, including those with international military students.

The stand-down comes as the US Navy and federal agencies continue to investigate the shooting.

FBI officials have characterised the massacre as a presumed act of terrorism, citing a Twitter post by the shooter, identified as Mohammed Saeed al-Shamrani, that accused the United States of being anti-Muslim and attacked US support of Israel. Alshamrani was killed by a sheriff's deputy in a shooting exchange.

It was reported that ahead of the attack, the shooter staged a "party" to watch mass shooting videos along with three other Saudi students.

About 140 Saudi Arabian students are currently at Pensacola; the base is now training 272 students from international militaries in total, the report said.

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