In a 2015 video, Mateen declared his own candidacy for the Afghan presidency, even though there was no election at that time. “We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident,” NBC News quoted Seddique Mateen as saying. Khatab said Seddique Mateen would show up at his studio in Canoga Park, California, “three or four times a year” to tape his shows. Seddique Mateen interviewed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in January 2014, according to a video posted on his YouTube channel. Candidacy for Afghan PresidencyDuring the interview Mateen praised Ghani but by the following year had changed his views, apparently angered by Ghani’s outreach to Pakistan in his bid to start peace talks with the Taliban.

Source: Hindustan Times June 13, 2016 03:09 UTC