Federal agents are stepping up their investigation of Islamic State's claims that it's responsible for Sunday's attack on the Mohammed cartoon competition in Garland, Texas. The assault was carried out by Phoenix roommates Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi. "Two soldiers … of the caliphate attacked an exhibit in Garland in American Texas, and this exhibit was holding a contest for drawings offensive to the prophet Muhammad," the jihadist group said on its al-Bayan radio station, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. The group is now warning "the attack by the Islamic State in America is only the beginning..." The message goes on to say ISIS has stationed "71 trained soldiers in 15 different states ready at our word to attack any target we desire. Of the 15 states, five we will name: Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, California, and Michigan."
The Daily News reports that ISIS also appeared to threaten blogger Pamela Geller, the organizer of Sunday's Mohammed cartoon contest. "Our aim was the khanzeer (pig) Pamela Geller and to show her that we don't care what land she hides in or what sky shields her; we will send all our Lions to achieve her slaughter," the group warned in an anonymous post Tuesday on the message board JustPasteIt. Although the White House is calling Sunday's attack an attempted terrorist act, U.S. officials are investigating ISIS's claims of responsibility. "It's too early to say at this point," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. Nevertheless, the White House is warning that the jihadist group is using the Internet to reach out to possible radicals, including here in the United States. "What we do know is we know that there are extremists around the globe, including some who are affiliated with ISIL, who are trying to capitalize on the opportunity that's presented by social media to try to communicate with individuals around the world, including inside the United States," Earnest said. That said, agents are looking for a mysterious American who may have been a middle man, or a recruiter, in the Texas attack. Mohammad Hassan, known online as "Miski," is from Minneapolis and he's been a fugitive since 2008 when he joined terror groups in Africa. The State Department is now also offering multi-million dollar rewards for anyone who has "information" on four key ISIS leaders. Meanwhile, federal authorities say they've discovered the last tweet of one of the gunmen, posted just minutes before the attack. It said, "May Allah accept us as mujahideen," or Islamic warriors.
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