Attacks raise concerns over ISIS influence

The attacks in Canada and New York raise concerns over the group’s ability to inspire lone wolf attackers. While there are no indications of direct involvement, each of the attackers is thought to have been inspired by ISIS messages, and all three attacks came in less than a month after ISIS called for individual jihad in Western countries. William McCants, a scholar of Islamist militancy at the Brookings Institution:

The Al Qaeda ‘fan boys’ never did this, definitely not in so coordinated a fashion in so close a time.

Mokhtar Awad, a researcher at the liberal Center for American Progress, based in Washington, says the group’s social media messages have changed sharply, from ‘come join the attack’ to ‘we are being attacked and what are you doing? You are just sitting there!’

They are trying to shame sympathizers.  ’If you can’t join us over here, at least do what you can over there.’