New York First of Several ISIS-Inspired and Directed Christmas Holiday Season Terror Attacks
New York First of Several ISIS-Inspired or Directed Christmas Season Terror Attacks
At 7:20 am this morning a pipe bomb exploded in an underground tunnel linking the Times Square subway station and the Port Authority bus terminal during morning rush hour in New York. The suicide bomber was wearing the device when it exploded prematurely and was wounded by the blast. Police have arrested the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Bangladeshi national, Akayed Ullah, who has been resident in the US for seven years. Police have said the bomber carried out the attempted attack in the name of ISIS. It is not known at this time if the terrorist acted alone or was part of a larger cell. Sadly, this is likely to be the first of several terror attacks by ISIS-inspired and ISIS-directed terrorists over the Christmas holiday season.
In the last month, ISIS threatened an attack on New York at Christmas time. The image shows Santa Claus standing on a low roof next to a box of dynamite looking out over a crowd of shoppers in Times Square. ISIS supporters are also circulating images of London's Regent Street and Christmas lights, and Paris' Eiffel Tower with a Christmas markets in the foreground. Images of ISIS fighters and blood have been superimposed on the holiday scenes, with a message in English, French, and German stating, “Soon on your holidays.” A recent ISIS poster emerged of a terrorist overlooking St Peter's Square in the Vatican with rocket launcher, along with a message, “Do not hold back with your blood, the reward is paradise” and warned that 'the crusaders' feast is approaching.'
Christmas markets, concerts, shows, shopping malls and districts, Church and worship services, and transit hubs, make for a target rich environment for ISIS terrorists and their lone wolfs over the Chanukah and Christmas Holiday period where the targets continue to be families with young children, religious minorities, and the LGBTQQ community. These attacks could come in the form of ISIS vehicle, edged-weapon, gun, and bomb attacks. These attacks could come almost anywhere and at any time. ISIS goal is to prove that they remain undefeated, that their Caliphate continues in the hearts of its fighters, supporters and families, even as it looks for a new home in Africa or Asia, and that there are no safe places anymore.
