The 46-year-old suspect Robert Bowers posted on Gab.com just hours before murdering 11 people on Saturday in the deadliest attack ever on the Jewish community in the United States, saying a non-profit that helps Jewish refugees relocate to the country was helping to kill "my people." It included postings that are anti-Semitic and anti-refugee in nature and that are also critical of President Trump.Much like Twitter, Facebook and other social media networks, Gab allows users to share short multimedia messages known as "gabs. His use of Gab has thrust the service into the spotlight. Here's what you need to know about Gab:

How did it start? "Gab, though, has become an alternative to Twitter for users whose racist and harassing online behavior got them banned from the mainstream platform, according to the Associated Press. During that time, Twitter had suspended several accounts associated with the "alt-right" movement on the same day it vowed a crackdown on hate speech. The suspensions pushed many people to Gab, which has fewer restrictions on what content users can post compared with Twitter and other social media. It allows users to read and write unfiltered messages of up to 300 characters, called "gabs"

** The home page describes the platform as "a social network that champions free speech, individual liberty and the free flow of information online. "We believe that the only valid form of censorship is an individual’s own choice to opt-out." The relaxed rules opened the door for content such as anti-Semitic posts and conspiracy theories. In August, according to The Verge, Microsoft threatened to stop hosting the social network over a pair of anti-Semitic posts, which were eventually removed. However, Gab's rules say it prohibits activities such as posting illegal pornography, engaging in any illegal activity using Gab, or "calling for the acts of violence against others, promoting or engaging in self-harm, and/or acts of cruelty, threatening language or behavior that clearly, directly and incontrovertibly infringes on the safety of another user or individual(s)." How is the shooter in Pittsburgh connected? Prior to entering the synagogue, an account appearing to belong to accused gunman Robert Bowers, 46, posted a message on Gab: "I can't sit by an watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. "Gab is not going anywhere. His profile also featured multiple anti-Semitic comments and conspiracy theories, including one referenced in his last post claiming the organization HIAS, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, was bringing "invaders in to kill our people." (Reuters) - Alleged Pittsburgh synagogue shooter Robert Bowers used the web site Gab.com to express anti-Semitic views. Washington: The website where the suspected Pittsburgh synagogue gunman posted anti-Semitic views said on Sunday it was "working around the clock" to stay online after being cut off by payment processors and forced to switch web hosts. "Gab took swift and proactive action to contact law enforcement immediately," said the service in a statement. "We first backed up all user data from the account and then proceeded to suspend the account." PayPal spokesman Justin Higgs said the payments service canceled Gab's account, and had been in the process of ending its account before the shooting in Pittsburgh. "The company is diligent in performing reviews and taking account actions," said Higgs. "When a site is allowing the perpetuation of hate, violence or discriminatory intolerance, we take immediate and decisive action." Gab said on Saturday it received notice it would be blocked by another payments website, Stripe Inc, and had switched to a new web-hosting service after Joyent Inc warned it would cut off the website. Representatives from Joyent could not be immediately reached for comment. The company said it backed up the content of the account and has been in contact with the FBI about the contents of the account.Law enforcement officials confirmed to ABC News that they are looking into statements apparently made to and by Bowers on Gab and other social networks.Amid increased scrutiny after the shooting, Gab said on Twitter it had been dropped by its web hosting company and banned by Paypal and financial services company Stripe. In a statement, Gab said the behavior from Bowers and other users isn't unique to its service. The man arrested in the mass shooting Saturday at a Pennsylvania synagogue appears to have made virulently anti-Semitic posts on a social media platform popular with far-right figures who feel their views aren't welcome on other social media services.
American online payments system company PayPal bans American social media site Gab, known for its association with the alt-right movement, while Joyent, Gab's American hosting provider, states that they will terminate their service tomorrow. The move comes after it was revealed that the suspect in yesterday's 11 deaths, Robert Bowers, was an active member on the social network.