An Islamic State-affiliated news service called the two San Bernardino terror attack suspects “supporters” of their Islamist cause, but the group did not claim responsibility for the mass shooting.
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“We are Americans. We will uphold our values – a free and open society”, Obama said in his weekly radio address.
“Based on the information and the facts as we know them, we are now investigating these horrific acts as an act of terrorism”, Bowdich told reporters.
On Wednesday, the 28-year-old Farook and his 27-year-old Pakistani bride, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 innocent Americans in San Bernardino, California before being killed themselves in a shootout with law enforcement. The husband and wife died in a fierce gunbattle with authorities several hours after their commando-style assault on a gathering of Farook’s colleagues from San Bernardino, Calif., County’s health department Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.
“For example, right now, people on the No-Fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun”.
“If you’re too risky to board a plane, you’re too unsafe, by definition, to buy a gun”.
The attack prompted the New York Times to run its first front-page editorial since 1920, saying it was “a moral outrage and a national disgrace” that the sort of firearms used in the attack were so readily available.
“What they’re calling these two are supporters, which is kind of a lesser level”, indicating it might not have had direct contact with the couple, Francona said.
The F.B.I. refocused its efforts on these individuals earlier this year in response to a shift in tactics by the Islamic State, law enforcement officials said. During a press conference Friday afternoon, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced it would be the lead agency investigating the mass shooting as an act of terrorism. MORE: What we know about the San Bernardino terror attackThe official added that Malik expressed “admiration” for the extremist group’s leader under the alias Facebook account, but that there was no sign anyone affiliated with the Islamic State group communicated back with her or conveyed any operation instructions to her. FBI Director James Comey said there was no indication yet that the plot was directed by any other foreign terror group.
Authorities said that the couple sprayed as many as 75 rounds into the room before fleeing and had more than 1,600 rounds left when they were killed. “We can’t even imagine doing something like this”.
Authorities are now turning to phone, travel, computer and other records to determine why the couple committed the attack and had what amounted to a makeshift bomb lab in the rented Redlands townhouse they shared with their 6-month-old daughter.
“It’s just mind-boggling why they would do something like this”.
The family’s attorneys said while the couple were devout, conservative Muslims, there was no hint they had become radicalized.
A relative of Malik’s in Pakistan, Hifza Batool, reported hearing similar things from other family members about Malik, her step-niece.
Tashfeen Malik returned to Pakistan and studied pharmacy at Bahauddin Zakaria university in Multan from 2007 to 2012.
Former classmate Abdia Rani told AFP that she had “gradually turned religious”, and over time became more serious and withdrawn.
On Thursday, as investigators were searching for a motive, Obama said at the White House that the shootings could have been terrorist-related or workplace-related.
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The ISIS hailed the perpetrators as “soldiers” of its caliphate, without explicitly claiming the deadly attack.
