Is ISIS Behind New Attacks & Shootings in Paris?

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Twitter / Johanftc

Authorities in Paris have reported more than 120 casualties as a result of multiple shootings and explosions at at least five locations in the French capital, including Petit Cambodge Restaurant and Stade de France. Paris police also report that an aattack at the Bataclan concert hall where the American band the Eagles of Death Metal was performing, where at least 100 were killed.

Latest reports have more 128 people dead. “Grenades were reportedly thrown at a stadium in the north of the French capital where a football match between France and Germany was being held, witnesses said” to the The Telegraph. The BBC reports that one man opened fire on Petit Cambodge Restaurant, a Cambodian restaurant in Paris’ 11th district, with a Kalashnikov, a kind of automatic rifle. Hostages were taken at the Bataclan concert hall, before police stormed the building.

You can read more about where and when the attacks occurred at the link below:

But is the Islamic State the perpetrator of the attacks?

The Islamic State has officially claimed responsibility for the attacks. It is the first time that ISIS has officially claimed an attack in Europe. This statement was released by ISIS in French:

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An English translation provided by SITE reads:

In the name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Very Merciful.

The Very High All Said: “It is He who expelled the ones who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think they would leave, and they thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allah ; but [the decree of] Allah came upon them from where they had not expected, and He cast terror into their hearts [so] they destroyed their houses by their [own] hands and the hands of the believers. So take warning, O people of vision.” Surah 59 verse 2.

In a blessed attack for which Allah facilitated the causes for success, a faithful group of the soldiers of the Caliphate, may Allah dignify it and make it victorious, launched out, targeting the capital of prostitution and obscenity, the carrier of the banner of the Cross in Europe, Paris… Youths who divorced the world and went to their enemy seeking to be killed in the cause of Allah, in support of His religion and His Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and his charges, and to put the nose of His enemies in the ground. So they were honest with Allah, we consider them thusly, and Allah conquered through their hands and cast in the hearts of the Crusaders horror in the middle of their land, where eight brothers wrapped in explosive belts and armed with machine rifles, targeted sites that were accurately chosen in the heart of the capital of France, including the Stade de France during the match between the Crusader German and French teams, where the fool of France, Francois Hollande, was present.

[They also targeted] the Bataclan Conference Center, where hundreds of apostates had gathered in a profligate prostitution party, and other areas in the 10th and 11th and 18th [arrondissements] and in a coordinated fashion. So Paris shook under their feet, and its streets were tight upon them, and the result of the attacks was the death of no less than 100 Crusaders and the wounding of more than those, and unto Allah is all praise and gratitude.

Allah had granted our brothers their wish and gave them what they loved, for they detonated their belts in the gatherings of the disbelievers after running out of ammunition, we ask Allah to accept them among the martyrs and make us follow them.

Let France and those who walk in its path know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State, and that the smell of death will never leave their noses as long as they lead the convoy of the Crusader campaign, and dare to curse our Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and are proud of fighting Islam in France and striking the Muslims in the land of the Caliphate with their planes, which did not help them at all in the streets of Paris and its rotten alleys. This attack is the first of the storm and a warning to those who wish to learn.

Allah is the greatest.

“And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” Surah 63 verse 8

Before the official announcement, ISIS affiliated accounts on Twitter reportedly claimed the attacks for the Islamic State. They used the hashtag “Paris on Fire” in Arabic to celebrate the attacks, the same hashtag ISIS used to celebrate the Charlie Hebdo terror attack. However, French citizens and others voicing their sympathy for Parisians have tried to take over the hashtag with patriotic memes.

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(Twitter)

Also, a since suspended Twitter account affiliated with ISIS may have also tweeted about an impending attack in Paris prior to the terrorism. An alleged screenshot by Anonymous affiliated @AnonRevolt_ of the suspended user @isis_9966 appears to be a warning to Parisians at 10:34 p.m. Paris time on November 13. The attacks began at 12:48 a.m. on November 14.

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The alleged tweet by ISIS also threatened that there would be attacks in London and Rome on November 14 or 15. This was noticed by @VestraPvP.

Tim Ramadan, reporter for Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, states that further hashtags under “Paris on Fire” also include “London on Fire”, “Rome on Fire”, and “Washington on Fire.”

Witnesses at the Bataclan concert hall said the attackers there shouted, “this is for Syria,” before opening fire and throwing grenades into the crowd.

France began airstrikes in Syria in September.

Read more about the attacks at the Bataclan concert hall, where at least 100 are reported dead, at the link below:

Other reports state that it could have been Al Qaeda, which is also at war with ISIS.

While others on Twitter are calling the attacks a “retaliation” by ISIS.

Within the past two days, ISIS has had two major losses. Yesterday, reports came in that a drone strike conducted by the United States killed Mohammed Emwazi, otherwise known as “Jihadi John.” Jihadi John carried out the execution videos of Steven Sotloff, David Haines, Alan Henning and Abdul-Rhaman Kassig, known also as a Peter Kassig.

Earlier Friday, reports came in that United States supported Kurds retook Sinjar, Iraq. According to CNN, reclaiming Sinjar was “one big step toward dividing the ‘caliphate’ that ISIS claims it is establishing across the region. The artery that passes through the town — Route No. 47 — links the Iraqi city of Mosul — ISIS’ prized possession — with cities it holds in Syria.”

ISIS also responded to both of these defeats with a suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon allegedly carried out by Islamic State militants that killed 43 people, reports CNN.

To read more about the latest attacks in Paris, click here. In response to the attack, French President François Hollande has closed the country’s borders and imposed a curfew. It’s the first time since World War II that the country has had a curfew.