IS Group Claims Paris Attacks, says France at 'Top' of List
By AP, 14 November 2015
CAIRO (AP) — The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks in Paris that killed 127 people and said France would remain at the "top of the list" of its targets.
An online statement said eight militants armed with explosive belts and automatic weapons attacked carefully chosen targets in the "capital of adultery and vice," including a soccer stadium where France was playing Germany, and the Bataclan concert hall, where an American rock band was playing, and "hundreds of apostates were attending an adulterous party."
The statement said France and its supporters "will remain at the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State."
A man places a candle in front of the Carillon cafe in Paris Saturday Nov. 14, 2015, a day after over 127 people were killed in a series of shooting and explosions. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
"The stench of death will not leave their noses as long as they remain at the forefront of the Crusaders' campaign, dare to curse our prophet, boast of a war on Islam in France, and strike Muslims in the lands of the caliphate with warplanes that were of no use to them in the streets and rotten alleys of Paris," it said.
France is part of the U.S.-led coalition that has been striking the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq for the past year, and has been targeted by jihadists in the past because of its perceived tolerance of speech deemed offensive to Islam.
The claim was made in statements in Arabic and French released online and circulated by supporters of the group. Supporters also circulated an audio version read by an unidentified speaker whose voice strongly resembled that of an announcer for the IS radio station Al-Bayan.
It was not immediately possible to confirm the authenticity of the statements, but they bore the extremists' logo and resembled previous IS statements.
The statements did not provide the nationalities or other information about the attackers.
French President Francois Hollande had earlier blamed the carnage on the Islamic State group and vowed to strike back.
French anti-terror police were working to identify potential accomplices. Authorities said eight attackers died, seven of them in suicide bombings, a new tactic in France. Police said they shot and killed the other assailant.
Jihadists have targeted France on a number of occasions, including in January, when gunmen stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine that had published caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad deemed offensive to Muslims. That attack, which killed 12 people, was claimed by al-Qaida.
MORE:
'This Attack is Just the Start': Isis Claims Responsibility for Terror Atrocities in Paris that Killed at Least 127 People and Warns There is More to Come
- Terror group claimed responsibility in statement Saturday morning
- French president Francois Hollande also blamed Isis for attacks
- Statement singled out France because of its anti-Isis bombing campaign
- Said it bombed Stade de France to get at 'imbecile' Hollande and targeted the Batalcan theatre because it was full of 'idolators'
Isis has claimed responsibility for the coordinated terror attacks in Paris which killed at least 127 people, and warned that more will follow.
A statement released by the extremist group said it masterminded the horrifying attacks on the French capital in revenge for 'insulting' the prophet Muhammad.
The terror group singled out France for its involvement in the bombing campaign against Isis territory in Iraq and Syria and said it murdered French citizens because the nation 'bragged' about its military contribution.
Claims: Isis has said it was behind the attacks in Paris. Pictured above are people trying to flee the Bataclan Theatre, where at least 80 hostages were gunned down
Victims: Wounded concertgoers are helped to safety by French special forces. Isis said that it attacked the rock show because the fans were 'idaolators'
Revenge: A statement in French and Arabic said that France is the highest-priority target for Isis because of their military intervention in Iraq and Syria
French president Francois Hollande also said Isis were behind the attacks, which he called 'an act of war'.
The statement, released Saturday morning as horror continued to mount at the slew of killings, said the bombing attack on the Stade de France was aimed specifically at Hollande.
It said an attack at the Bataclan Theatre, during a rock concert, was aimed at 'idolators' who were 'together in a party of perversity' and said the French are Isis's 'principle targets'.
The statement, in French and Arabic, condemned France, saying they 'dared insult our Prophet, having bragged about fighting Islam in France and striking Muslims in the Caliphate with their planes'.
Night of terror: The above graphic shows how the events of the night unfolded, with a death toll exceeding 127
Insult: The statement said Isis responded because they felt France had insulted the honour of Mohammad
Mourning: A mourner pays his respects outside the Le Carillon restaurant, the site of one of the attacks
They said the acts: 'have not helped them in any way in the ill-smelling streets of Paris.
‘This attack is just the start of a storm and a warning for those who wish to draw lessons.’
Explaining its targets, the statement said: 'Eight brothers carrying explosive belts and guns targeted areas in the heart of the French capital that were specifically chosen in advance: the Stade de France during a match against Germany which that imbecile François Hollande was attending; the Bataclan where hundreds of idolaters were together in a party of perversity as well as other targets in the 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissement.
'France and those who follow its path must know that they remain the principle targets of the Islamic State.'
The claim - which resembled other official statements by the militant group - came after Hollande declared the attacks 'an act of war' and promised to respond.
'Act of war': President Francois Hollande also pinned the blame on Isis and vowed to respond to them
Bloodstains: Tributes are left next to blood stains and medical items outside the Bataclan concert hall
He also pinned the blame on Isis, using the alternative name Daesh.
Hollande said: 'Faced with war, the country must take appropriate action'.
He called the attacks: 'an act of war committed by Daesh that was prepared, organised and planned from outside (of France)'.
Other world leaders pledged their support to France, and said the attack on Paris was an attack on them as well.
President Barack Obama said: 'Once again we've seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians.
'This is an attack not just on Paris, it's an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share.'
Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'My message to the French people: Nous sommes solidaires avec vous. Nous sommes tous ensemble. We are with you. United.'
Quote:
'LET FRANCE KNOW THEY ARE AT THE TOP OF THE TARGET LIST: ISIS STATEMENT IN FULL
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent.
Allah said: They thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allah, but Allah came upon them from where they had no expected, and He cast terror into their hearts so they destroyed their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take warning, O people of vision.
In a blessed battle whose causes of success were enabled by Allah, a group of believers from the soldiers of the Caliphate (may Allah strengthen and support it) set out targeting the capital of prostitution and vice, the lead carrier of the cross in Europe - Paris.
This group of believers were youth who divorced the worldly life and advanced towards their enemy hoping to be killed for Allah's sake, doing so in support of His religion, His Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) and His allies. They did so in spite of His enemies.
Thus, they were truthful with Allah - we consider them so - and Allah granted victory upon their hands and cast terror into the hearts of the crusaders in their very own homeland.
And so eight brothers equipped with explosive belts and assault rifles attacked precisely chosen targets in the centre of the capital of France. These targets included the Stade de France stadium during a soccer match - between the teams of Germany and France, both of which are crusader nations - attended by the imbecile of France (Francois Hollande).
The targets included the Bataclan theatre for exhibitions, where hundreds of pagans gathered for a concert of prostitution and vice. There were also simultaneous attacks in the tenth, eleventh and eighteenth districts, and elsewhere.
Paris was thereby shaken beneath the crusaders' feet, who were constricted by its streets. The result of the attacks was the deaths of no less than two hundred crusaders and the wounding of even more. All praise, grace and favour belong to Allah.
Allah blessed our brothers and granted them what they desired. They detonated their explosive belts in the masses of the disbelievers after finishing all their ammunition. We ask Allah to accept them amongst the martyrs and to allow us to follow them.
Let France and all nations following its path know that they will continue to be at the top of the target list for the Islamic State and that the scent of death will not leave their nostrils as long as they partake in the crusader campaign, as long as they dare to curse our Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him), and as long as they boast about their war against Islam in France and their strikes against Muslims in the lands of the Caliphate with their jets, which were of no avail to them in the filthy streets and alleys of Paris. Indeed, this is just the beginning. It is also a warning for any who wish to take heed.
Allah is the greatest.
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