Breaking news via CNN. Yes, there does appear to be an ISIS connection with the mass murders in San Bernardino. Now the task is to confirm whether it was inspired by ISIS (two “lone wolfs”) or ordered by it:
Investigators think that as the San Bernardino, California, attack was happening, female shooter Tashfeen Malik posted a pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Facebook, three U.S. officials familiar with the investigation told CNN.
Malik’s post was made on an account with a different name, one U.S. official said. The officials did not explain how they knew Malik made the post.
A law enforcement official said it appeared that Wednesday’s attack — which left 14 people dead and 21 wounded before the two attackers, Malik and her husband, Syed Rizwan Farook, were killed in a shootout with police — may have been inspired by ISIS. But none of the officials said that ISIS directed or ordered the attack.
Note that investigators saying they believe there is a link is a far different animal than partisans, ideologists, or barely transparent Muslim haters (and with a name like “Gandelman” I’m not a Muslim) immediately saying it’s ISIS. It makes for good blog posts, TV and radio ratings and political posturing.
In reality: the Senate GOP this week voted down a law blocking gun sales to people on the terrorism watch list.
Hey, even terrorists shouldn’t be blocked from the founding father’s agreeing for them to buy long guns and magazines, didn’t you know that?
George Washington once said:“From my cold, wooden teeth.” (I read it on the Internet). MORE CNN:
Another official said authorities haven’t ruled out that others may have influenced this radical view. In addition, the law enforcement source said investigators have a greater focus on whether the shooting occurred after a workplace issue with religion.
Lawyers for the Farook family said relatives have no idea why the couple burst into a holiday luncheon for Farook’s co-workers and viciously opened fire. Nor did they have an idea the couple had a makeshift bomb lab in the apartment they shared with their 6-month-old daughter and Farook’s mother. Nor did they know either of them were radicalized.
“It just doesn’t make sense for these two to be able to act like some kind of Bonnie and Clyde or something,” Farook family attorney David S. Chesley told CNN’s Chris Cuomo. “It’s just ridiculous. It doesn’t add up.”
Neither Farook nor his wife had gotten into trouble with the law, according to police. And neither was on any list of potentially radicalized people.
The sometimes controversial but often correct Israeli website Debka.com has a post putting it into what it feels is a wider perspecetive:
The Islamic State’s menacing global impact spread dramatically Wednesday Dec. 2 with a spate of ISIS-related events in San Bernardino in California, Syria, Moscow, the British air base in Cyprus and IDF headquarters in Te Aviv.
Wednesday night, at least 14 people were killed and 17 injured in a multiple shooting at the San Bernardino regional center for the disabled in southern California.
And further into this post:
A few hours earlier, ISIS released another chilling video, this one threatening Russia with a Paris-style multiple terror attack. The central figure was a Russian version of the late Jihad John who was liquidated by a US drone on Nov. 11 near Raqqa. “Jihad Igor” was depicted in the act of beheading “a Russian Muslim spy” whom Russian intelligence was alleged to have tried to plant inside the ISIS forces in Syria.
The “executioner,” whose face was not masked like that of Jihad John, warned Russia: “You will not find peace in your homes [so long as the Russian air strikes continue in Syria.]. We will kill your sons – for each son you killed here. And we will destroy your homes for each home you destroyed here.”
Our counter terror sources report that Moscow is taking the threat with the utmost seriousness and has declared a countrywide terror alert. The Israeli embassy in Moscow and consulates in other cities were also instructed to stay on high alert. Western anti-terror agencies agreed that an ISIS attack inside Russia was “imminent.”
Go to the link to read it in full. ISIS has threatened to attack Russia “very soon.”
So the lingering question will be: is a seeming ISIS connection happenstance?
Or was it the instigator?
Meanwhile, stirring up resentment and fear sells. Donald Trump is rising higher in the polls among GOPers than ever.
Its now more than ever that many Americans need to see a documentary like the yet-to-be released 7 Days in Syria, which helps combat stereotypes more than ever. It should be required viewing. DETAILS HERE.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.