“It looks like it’s been hastily produced”, said Bill Bratton, NYC police commissioner.
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The Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group has released a new propaganda video threatening to attack NY, America’s most populous city, following the terrorist attacks in Paris, France.
The video (below) shows several men congratulating ISIS over the recent terrorist attacks in Paris while footage of NY City – including Times Square – plays in the background.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that there had been “no credible and specific threat against NY City” and urged people to ignore the video and go about their lives. De Blasio added that they have launched a task squad equipped with 500-plus people with the sole goal of countering terrorism in the city.
The video mentioned Times Square and purported to show an explosive device being put together and a bomber zipping his jacket over a suicide belt.
That is followed by an image of Times Square in NY City.
“So one part is for potential recruits, the other part is for us, but we operate under a fairly high state of alert normally (in NY City)”.
“Be aware, but do not be afraid”, he said.
Today, our main focus and praise is reserved for Mayor de Blasio, and his leadership and determination to address a few of the most complex problems we face.
“It is a mishmash of previously released video. Offense, we want to be offense all the time, with our counterterrorism intelligence capabilities, defense, protecting facilities”, said Bratton. “We are doing a lot to prevent the attacks, particularly with our federal partners, but, God forbid, we were to confront anything, we have a very large force ready to deal with it”, he noted.
The Islamic State said it was responsible for Friday’s attacks in Paris, where 129 people were killed during a series of shootings and bombings.
Terror. No matter what else happens in NY City, if the fear of terrorism is in the air, it seems to dominate the news-and the minds of elected officials.
The new unit will supplement an existing 1,000-officer programme.
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Speaking before the attacks on Paris, Will Geddes, head of global security firm worldwide Corporate Protection, predicted attacks would move from tourist hotspots to busy town centres. She and her husband Mark arrived in the city Thursday morning from Louisville, where they shared with PIX11 News that they had no idea of the ISIS video until after they had touched down, “You’re here and if everybody stays in, what good does that do”.
