‘ISIS supporters’ try to claim responsibility for London stabbings

From Russia Today

Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) supporters may be trying to claim responsibility for the Russell Square stabbings in London on Wednesday, despite police more or less ruling out terrorism as a motive.

An American woman in her 60s was killed in the knife attack on Wednesday night which left five other people injured including Australian, British and Israeli citizens.

The 19-year-old suspect, a Norwegian man of Somali origin, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being detained in a south London police station.

Police investigating the attack say “mental health” is a significant factor and that it was unlikely to have been related to terrorism.

“I emphasize that so far we have found no evidence of radicalization that would suggest that the man in our custody is in any way motivated by terrorism,” London Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Rowley told media.

However, messages on the app Telegram suggest some IS supporters are trying to take ownership of the attack.

One user wrote it was “nice” to wake up to such news, and others shared photos of the site where the stabbings took place.

One Arabic account, which posted snaps from the scene, wrote: “And here you have a picture of the site where the stabbing took place, Russell Square in the centre of ‘Christendom’ London.”

The attack follows warnings that IS may be deliberately aiming propaganda at people with mental health problems urging them to carry out violent attacks. Scotland Yard Commander Dean Haydon told the Express he has seen IS material targeting the vulnerable to inspire atrocities.