Investigators are still trying to determine if Abdul Artan’s senseless attack at Ohio State University was an act of terrorism, but that isn’t stopping ISIS from taking credit for his actions.
According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the Amaq News Agency — ISIS’ propaganda wing — reported that Monday’s attack was carried out by a “soldier of the Islamic State,” and praised the attacker’s use of a car and knife.
IS’ Amaq Reports Ohio State Attacker a “Soldier of the Islamic State” https://t.co/wZkE8sSI3h
— SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) November 29, 2016
(Amaq News Agency, via SITE Intelligence Group)
Artan, a Somali refugee, spent seven years in Pakistan before coming to America in 2014.
In a recent interview with OSU’s campus newspaper, Artan expressed that the media’s portrayal of Muslims led him to being “kind of scared” to pray in public. (RELATED: Here’s Everything We Know About Ohio State Attacker Abdul Artan)
“I don’t blame them,” he added. “It’s the media that put that picture in their heads so they’re just going to have it, and it’s going to make them feel uncomfortable.”
SITE Director Rita Katz clarified that while ISIS might be taking credit for Artan’s attack, that does not mean he was directly ordered to act by the terrorist group.
Katz claims that the “style of reporting” and “Amaq’s delay with this statement” shows ISIS spent time “confirming Artan’s motivations via news reports [sic].”
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