ISIS Claims Responsibility For Texas Cartoon Attack

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a weekend attack at a center near Dallas, Texas, that was exhibiting cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad, though it offered no evidence of a direct link to the attackers.

An audio statement on the extremist group's Al Bayan radio station said that "two soldiers of the caliphate" carried out Sunday's attack and promised the group would deliver more attacks in the future.

The Islamic State did not provide details and it was unclear whether the group was  taking advantage of the opportunity and claiming the attack as its own. It was the first time the IS, which frequently calls for attacks against the West, had claimed responsibility for one in the United States.

Two suspects in Sunday's attack in the Dallas suburb of Garland were shot dead after opening fire at a security guard outside the center.

It was also unclear from the statement whether the group, which has captured large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, had an actual hand in the operation, or whether the two suspects had pledged allegiance to the group and then carried out the attack on their own.

The suspects have been identified by officials as Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi. They opened fire on an unarmed security officer stationed outside the contest center featuring cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad and others prophets, including Jesus and Moses — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous. Drawings similar to those featured at the Texas event have sparked violence around the world.

The authenticity of the IS statement could not be independently confirmed but it was read on the Al Bayan radio — a station based in the Syrian city of Raqqa, which the group has proclaimed the capital of its self-styled caliphate.

"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," it said.

"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.

Credit:HuffPost