In a not entirely shocking statement, ISIS has claimed responsibility for yesterday's OSU attacks by Abdul Razak Ali Artan:
1)BREAKING: #ISIS’ ‘Amaq News Agency reports that #OhioState attacker Abdul Razak Artan was an ISIS “soldier” pic.twitter.com/1XQAQJXcSR
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) November 29, 2016
2)Like other #ISIS inspired attacks in West, Amaq claimed #OhioStateAttack response to ISIS "calls to target citizens”in coalition countries
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) November 29, 2016
3) Though Amaq reported #OhioState attacker an #ISIS “soldier,” this style of reporting by #ISIS indicates it wasn’t coordinated w group pic.twitter.com/egHKv99iDf
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) November 29, 2016
4) #ISIS Amaq’s delay with this statement on #OhioStateAttack is clearly due to time spent confirming Artan’s motivations via news reports
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) November 29, 2016
4) #ISIS Amaq’s delay with this statement on #OhioStateAttack is clearly due to time spent confirming Artan’s motivations via news reports
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) November 29, 2016
Ironically, this tweet arrived minutes after White House press Secretary Josh Earnest explained:
OSU attacker "may have been motivated by extremism" & "a desire to carry out an act of terrorism."
Seemingly dismissing the attackers own warnings of US interventionism being to blame:
"I am sick and tired of seeing my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters being killed and tortured EVERYWHERE. ... I can't take it anymore. America! Stop interfering with other countries ... [if] you want us Muslims to stop carrying lone wolf attacks."
And instead blaming Russia
Earnest warns Russia: "This kind of violence and chaos in Syria only fuels extremism in Syria and around the world."