The White House said Tuesday it’s too early to know whether two gunmen who opened fire at a Texas cartoon contest Sunday were members of the Islamic State or were inspired by the terrorist group’s message.
The Islamic State on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place at a contest offering a $10,000 prize for the best cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. Two gunmen were shot and killed after opening fire at the event. One security guard was injured in the assault.
“At this point, this is still under investigation. But the FBI and other members of the intelligence community to determine any ties or affiliations these individuals may have had with ISIL or other terrorist organizations around the world,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters, referring to the Islamic State by one of its alternate names.
“It’s too early to say at this point,” he added.
But Mr. Earnest also said there is no doubt the Islamic State actively is trying to recruit Americans to both carry out attacks inside this country and join the organization’s fight in the Middle East.
“There have been a number of individuals, Americans, who have been apprehended by law enforcement who were attempting to travel to the Middle East. That at least is an indication of their sympathy for ISIL,” he said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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