FBI Reluctant to Investigate Possible ISIS Link to Las Vegas Shooter?
The FBI was quick to refute the suggestion that the Las Vegas gunman in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history had any connection to international terrorism even after ISIS claimed responsibility for the Las Vegas shooting.
According to reports, the terror group released a pair of statements through it’s news agency, Amaq, indicating that the shooter converted to Islam several months ago and carried out the attack “in response to calls to target states of the coalition” battling ISIS.
On Monday, the day after the horrific event, ISIS released a statement which was translated into English by Counter-extremism scholar, Aymenn al-Tamimi:
Some have indicated that ISIS may have filed a false statement as a way of “stealing glory.” However, this “is false,” according to one writer.
He indicates that those naysayers “do not have a preponderance of prior examples on their side…,” and “The vast majority of the Islamic State’s claimed attacks were undertaken by men acting in its name, often after leaving short video statements confirming their intentions.”
Also, it’s often beneficial to check out what others are saying outside of government in order to prevent possible conspiracy theories or rumors.
Rita Katz, Executive Director of SITE Intelligence Group, the world’s leading non-governmental counterterrorism organization specializing in tracking and analyzing online activity of the global extremist community had plenty to say about ISIS’s possible involvement on Monday.
Katz provided an expert analysis in a very lengthy tweet.
Her 23 comments are listed below:
1) BREAKING: #ISIS’ Amaq claims #LasVegas shooting. Surprising as it sounds, statement issued on legit primary source.
2) Interestingly, Amaq released 2 statements: one claiming attacker as an #ISIS soldier, & 2nd that he “converted to Islam” months ago
3) Given what is known of attacker Stephen Paddock, #ISIS needs evidence. Otherwise, might make ISIS appear (more) desperate for claims
4)Rare event that #ISIS news agency Amaq releases a follow-up statement (i.e.its follow-up about Paddock purportedly converting to Islam)..
5) Prior to claim, #ISIS supporters didn’t suspect connection to group,but ISIS linked Aswirati Media was already posting celebratory images
6) Tho rare, Amaq follow-up claim was needed on #ISIS’ part: currently no known radical religious element to Paddock’s background
7) #ISIS appears to be doubling down on its claim for #LasVegas as Amaq statements being further disseminated in different languages.
8) Not clear if promise for proof or threat, but pro-#ISIS message states that those saying it “has nothing to do” w attack will “regret” it
9) Of all #ISIS claims of attacks, #LasVegasShooting is the strangest. Such attackers usually show indicators online ,travels, history, etc
10) As of today, #ISIS’ Amaq has claimed the two largest shootings in recent US history: #Orlando, and now #LasVegas
11) In neither case, however, did #ISIS provide proof. #OrlandoShooting claim came hours after media reported Mateen’s #ISIS / #AQ pledge
12) Not surprising that despite no proof by #ISIS, supporters believe it, mocking US intel, & #Trump for saying he’d “destroy the Caliphate”
13) #BREAKING: #ISIS issues official communique on #LasVegas attack, identifying Paddock as “Abu Abd Abdulbar al-Ameriki”
14) The communique, however, offered no proof of attacker Stephen Paddock’s support or connection to #ISIS.
15) ISIS gives unverifiable (as of yet) narrative: Paddock, responding to Baghdadi’s incitements, did “precise” surveillance of venue prior
16)Text in the communique similar to others by #ISIS, tho 1st to frame attack as “response”specifically to”Baghdadi” https://ent.siteintelgroup.com/Statements/is-issues-formal-communique-for-las-vegas-attack-identifies-shooter-as-abu-abdul-barr-al-amriki.html …
17) Important to note btwn Amaq statements vs official communiques: former more open-ended, latter imply degree of knowledge or connection
18) Campaign by #ISIS supporters online starting to look like a coordinated one: reissued releases, barrages of graphics, threats, vid, etc.
19) No link found yet between #LasVegas attacker & #ISIS, but ISIS will benefit from its claim, regardless of how truthful/untruthful it is
20)If ISIS verified as telling the truth, it will have pulled off what supporters &global jihadi movement will see as monumental achievement
21) If #ISIS is lying, it will only lose cred by those who already distrust it. To brainwashed supporters, it won’t even crack the bubble
22) #LasVegasShooting marks 1st 2017 #ISIS-claimed attack in US. Other claimed attacks in West include: UK- 4, France-3, Spain-2, Belgium-2
23) Reg the above map, important to mention that #LasVegasAttack is the only attack on the map that isn’t plausibly connected to #ISIS
Prior to releasing their statements, ISIS also released the following posters celebrating the mass shootings.
The posters read: “[The] USA [is] licking her wounds in Las Vigas [sic].”
There is a mountain of additional information which easily justifies an FBI investigation into the shooter’s possible connection with ISIS.
The damning information includes:
The type and number of weapons belonging to the shooter, the obvious planning that went into finding an elevated hotel room in close proximity to the Route 91 Harvest so that he could carry out his deadly attack, the ammonia nitrate allegedly found in the killer’s car which can be used to make bombs and his use of a camera in filming his actions.
Clearly, there exists enough evidence to prompt government officials to conduct a thorough investigation into potential links between ISIS and the Las Vegas shooter.
To do otherwise would be reprehensible given the circumstances.
