Authorities are still iffy on declaring the attack on the Berlin Christmas Market terrorism, but ISIS is making it real easy on them by taking credit for it.
Watch below:
More from CNN:
The ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency released a statement saying Monday night’s attack was carried out by “a soldier of the Islamic State” in response to calls by the group’s leadership to target citizens of international coalition countries.
CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank said ISIS often uses this terminology to refer to attacks by alleged sympathizers in the West.
“This should not be taken to mean the group is claiming it directed this attack,” Cruickshank said. “Investigators have not uncovered any links to ISIS.”
Now this doesn’t mean that they ordered or helped plan the attack which is what authorities tend to demand before calling an attack ISIS-affiliated. But it may mean that ISIS knows the attacker was inspired by their anti-West propaganda, given that the tactics he used were ones they recommended in their terrorist media.
Even Angela Merkel has said that it’s most likely an act of terror. Authorities had arrested a man they believed a suspect, but released him after they couldn’t connect him to the attack.