BREAKING: ISIS Claims Responsibility for Las Vegas Shooting. A Few Things...
UPDATE October 2, 2017 9am EST:
BREAKING: FBI says Las Vegas shooter had no connection to international terrorist group.— The Associated Press (@The Associated Press) 1506959137.0
Original post below:
I want to make it clear in big bold letters that the Las Vegas shooter's motives are unknown (see Hillary Clinton Takes Aim at NRA, Silencers After Las Vegas Shooting and TERRIFYING: Jason Aldean Runs Off Stage As Shots Ring Out), and THERE IS NOTHING YET TO CONFIRM WHAT ISIS CLAIMED IS TRUE. Are we clear on that? This all rumor at this point.
However, now the Associated Press has tweeted about it, the claim that the shooter had converted to Islam is out there.
ISIS has has claimed responsibility the mass shooting in Las Vegas where 50 people were killed and more than 406 wounded, and said the attacker had converted to Islam a few months ago.The shooter was 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, a resident of nearby Mesquite, Nevada, who opened fire on the festival taking place at Las Vegas Village from a room across the street in the Mandalay Bay Hotel at 10:08pm.
"The Las Vegas attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried it out in response to calls to target states of the coalition," the group's news agency Amaq said in reference to the U.S.-led coalition fighting the group in the Middle East.
"The Las Vegas attacker converted to Islam a few months ago," Amaq added.
Amaq is apparently ISIS's official channel.
BREAKING: #ISIS claimed #LasVegas attack, reporting through 'Amaq that executor is one of its "soldiers" & he conve… https://t.co/DuRKlFo2Lq— SITE Intel Group (@SITE Intel Group) 1506953208.0
A few things here from a reporter who knows more about the conflicts in the Middle East:
@akhbar 3- Contrary to public belief, ISIS does NOT claim every incident. Amaq claim on Las Vegas shooting should n… https://t.co/cCQXziT6hP— Jenan Moussa (@Jenan Moussa) 1506954674.0
@akhbar 6- As ISIS is losing in Iraq &Syria, there's always possibility group wants to create confusion by wrongly claiming LasVegas Attack.— Jenan Moussa (@Jenan Moussa) 1506955379.0
There is plenty of reason to doubt. It could all be a way for ISIS to take credit for a victory which isn't theirs.
1. ISIS in recent months has made a number of demonstrably false claims for attacks and incidents that had no jihadi terror nexus.— Paul Cruickshank (@Paul Cruickshank) 1506954425.0
5. Conclusion: ISIS, desperate for attention, will claim just about anything these days knowing their supporters won't believe govt/media.— Paul Cruickshank (@Paul Cruickshank) 1506955035.0
Then you have what his brother told the press.
"No religious affiliation. No political affiliation. He just hung out," brother says of Las Vegas gunman… https://t.co/yNK8A41GEI— CBS News (@CBS News) 1506954491.0
“Not an avid gun guy at all...where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background,” gunman’s… https://t.co/sZn9j3r3My— CBS News (@CBS News) 1506954138.0
Which all granted makes things more confusing. A guy with no religious or political affiliation, not known to be a gun guy, opens fire on concert?
This is why we need a motive. Which we don't have right now. It's chaos and confusion all around. ISIS may be exploring that confusion to take responsibility. We don't know yet. But on the off chance the shooter did sympathize with ISIS, we have to take note of it.
It's going to be a while before anyone knows anything for sure.
