The FBI on Thursday issued a warning to U.S.-based journalists and media organizations advising them that they may be targeted by lone-wolf Islamic State militants in retribution for U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.
In the bulletin, the FBI claims to have “obtained credible information indicating members of an ISIL-affiliated group are tasked with kidnapping journalists in the region and returning them to Syria. Members of this group might try to mask their affiliation with ISIL to gain access to journalists.”
ISIL is an acronym often used to refer to the Islamic State.
The bulletin also said that a recent posting on an Arabic, Islamic State-dominated online forum called U.S. Muslims to action, saying that TV anchors, radio show hosts and reporters were biased and priority targets for execution.
Based on these postings and other sources, the FBI assessed that Islamic State supporters, “view members of the US media establishment as legitimate targets for retribution attacks as the US-led air campaign against ISIL in Iraq and Syria continues,” according to the bulletin.
The Islamic State has already beheaded two American journalists in recent months. Militants videotaped the beheadings of U.S. photojournalist James Foley in August and American-Israeli journalist Steven Sotoloff in September.
The militant in the video claimed those killings were in response to U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State forces.
Twice already this week, Canada has seen fatal “lone wolf attacks” by native-resident Muslims on Canadian soldiers. Canadian officials have said at least the first case — an automobile assault on two soldiers Monday — was inspired by the Islamic State calls and Canada’s involvement in the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State.
• Jennifer Pompi can be reached at jpompi@washingtontimes.com.
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