ISIS calls on Muslim couples in the West to imitate San Bernardino shooters

ISIS' magazine describes the shooting attack as "unique," since "the Khilafah's call for the Muslims to strike the crusaders in their own lands was answered by a jihadist operating with his wife."

By MAAYAN GROISMAN
FBI and police continue their investigation around the area where two suspects were shot by police following a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California (photo credit: REUTERS)
FBI and police continue their investigation around the area where two suspects were shot by police following a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California
(photo credit: REUTERS)
In the new volume of its English-language magazine, Dabiq, released on Wednesday, ISIS encourages married Muslim couples in the West to follow in the footsteps of the Muslim married couple who carried out the San Bernardino, California shooting attack in December.
The shooting attack in San Bernardino took place on December 2, 2015, when Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire at a holiday party at the Inland Regional center in San Bernardino, killing 14 people and injuring 22 others.
The magazine describes the shooting attack as "unique," since "the Khilafah's (Islamic Caliphate) call for the Muslims to strike the crusaders in their own lands was answered once more" – but this time, by a jihadist operating together with his wife, not alone.
ISIS praised Tashfeen Malik, who participated in the operation and gained martyrdom after being killed by security forces, "despite the fact that combat is not even obligatory upon her."
The organization praised the sacrifice of the San Bernardino couple, who "left behind not only their comfortable lifestyle, but also their baby daughter, knowing that they would never see her again."
In order to convince more married Muslim couples to "march out together to fight the crusaders in defense of the Khilafah" even at the cost of leaving their children behind, the magazine authors quote a verse from the Koran, in which Allah promises to care for those left behind by the believers.
The call to married Muslim couples to commit terror attacks may indicate that ISIS is willing to improve the 'quality' of its lone-wolf attacks, committed by a jihadist operating alone, by initiating a new attack pattern that will enable the organization to kill more Westerners, thus improving its efficiency.