San Bernardino terror couple had been radicalized for quite a while, FBI says
By Mark Ellis, Special to ASSIST News Service
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS - December 8, 2015)
-- The San Bernardino terror couple who killed 14 at an employee
holiday party last week had been extremists for an extended period of
time, an FBI official told NBC News.
“As
the investigation has progressed, we have learned and believe that both
subjects were radicalized and had been for quite some time,” David
Bowdich, the FBI’s assistant director in L.A., told reporters.
“The
question we’re trying to get at is how did that happen, and by whom,
and where did that happen. And I will tell you right now we don’t know
those answers at this point,” he said.
In
the days since Syed Farook and Tafsheen Malik attacked co-workers at
their holiday lunch, authorities have been trying to determine why the
couple acted with such wanton violence, and were even willing to leave
behind a 6-month-old daughter.
The
questions have focused primarily on Malik, 29, a Pakistani national who
reportedly posted a Facebook message just before the attack pledging
allegiance to the leader of Islamic State. She also posted extremist
messages on Facebook before and after her arrival in the U.S.
But
Bowdich said it is not clear whether anyone else is responsible for the
radicalization, since it is possible to be self-radicalized via the
internet.
Bowdich
also revealed that Farook and Malik conducted target practice at local
gun ranges prior to the attack, including a session a few days earlier,
according to NBC.
He
also said it was unclear whether anyone in the U.S. or outside the U.S.
gave the couple direct help to carry out the attacks, which appeared to
involve extensive planning and financial resources beyond Farook’s
meager government salary. The fact that they destroyed their cell phones
and computer hard drives leads some observers to believe they were
involved with other extremists.
Indeed, Farook was in contact with individuals under investigation by government authorities.
Photo caption: The couple who terrorized a community.
About the writer, Mark Ellis is senior correspondent for the ASSIST News Service and also the founder of www.Godreports.com,
a website that shares stories, testimonies and videos from the church
around th world in world missions. He is also the clo-host for "Windows
on the World," with ANS founder, Dan Wooding, on the Holy Spirit
Broadcasting Network (http://hsbn.tv/).
** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net).
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar