Nadir Soofie and Elton Simpson
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group is claiming responsibility for the attack on a Muhammad cartoon contest on Sunday evening in Garland, Texas, and is threatening more attacks in the U.S., including ones using nuclear weapons.
The Associated Press is reporting that IS used an extremist radio station named Al Bayan in Raqqa, Syria, to broadcast their responsibility for the shooting that left both gunmen dead and injured a security officer outside of the facility where a Muhammad carton contest was being held. Although the announcement gave no evidence of a direct link to the Muslim attackers, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, they claim the two were “soldiers of the caliphate” and promised to deliver more attacks soon.
No further details were provided and it is currently unclear if the group is opportunistically claiming the attack as its own; however if proven true, this would be the first time an IS-linked attack occurred on American soil.
“We tell … America that what is coming will be more grievous and more bitter and you will see from the soldiers of the Caliphate what will harm you, God willing,” the broadcast said.
The IS announcement was met with triumphant praise from IS members and IS-affiliated websites.
“How are you (Americans) going to live when we create our lone wolves to be nuclear bombs … by God, you can’t match us and in the heart of your homes you will see,” said one Twitter posting.
“Let anyone who wants to draw the picture of our Prophet to think one thousand times before doing so, because our hands can reach his neck,” said another.
The Texas contest known as The Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest was sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative and offered $10,000 for the best drawing of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims consider such drawings to be blasphemous.
The contest has drawn a great deal of criticism from the press for its provocative nature and even an op-ed appearing in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano also blasted the event’s organizers for its “blasphemous” artwork. The article called for the “need to approach the religious experience of the other” with a respectful attitude and said the contest’s “provocative intent” was “almost wanting to throw gasoline on the fire.”
However, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that “There is no act of expression, even if it’s offensive, that justifies an act of violence.”
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