National Security

Apparent ISIS Supporter Images Surface In New York Creating Minor Panic

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David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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New York City police are investigating internet selfie images of apparent ISIS supporters standing in front of prominent New York City buildings. The masked man appears to be standing in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a scarf emblazoned with the ISIS logo, the New York Daily News reports.

The caption “We are in your own Backyard” has created a minor panic in the Big Apple since the pics were first shared over the internet on Saturday night.

As Fox News reports, there is a second photograph under investigation as well. This one depicts someone holding a phone with the ISIS flag and what could be the One World Trade Center in the background. That picture has been linked to the location where eight people died at the hands of a Manhattan truck driver.

An NYPD spokesman confirmed that the force is actively investigating the posting of the photographs.

“The NYPD is aware of the photograph. As with all terror related threats, the NYPD is looking into the incident. At this time there are no credible threats related to New York City,” an NYPD spokesman told the News.

Cyber-intelligence expert Eric Feinberg told the News that whether the photos are real or fake, not knowing promotes fear.

“Maybe its Photoshopped, maybe it’s not. It should be taken seriously,” he said.

Feinberg told the News that the photos can be used to recruit potential domestic terrorists into the ISIS fold or to provoke a terrorist incident.

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