While ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the lorry attack that killed at least 84 people in the French city of Nice, it has been celebrated by its supporters.
Thursday’s attack killed at least 84 people, including several children, and injured many more after a lorry drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice.
A poster from the military jihadi group has been circulating around social media, showing a knife-wielding jihadi with the Eiffel Tower burning next to him and a message which reads ‘France under fire’.
One photo states ‘Orlando was just beginning’, referencing the Florida terror attack which left 49 dead in a gay nightclub. Another suggests that the German capital of Berlin will be the next European city to be attacked.
ISIS claims responsibility or irresponsibility more like it for #NiceAttack
Poster all raring to go pic.twitter.com/JnTJeR3yTp— #FreeCali NaphiSoc (@NaphiSoc) July 14, 2016
Previously, ISIS’ magazine, Inspire, had encouraged its supporters to run over non-believers using a ‘mowing machine’ ahead of the Nice attack.
The message read:
The idea is to use a pickup truck as a mowing machine, not to mow grass but mow down the enemies of Allah.
The ideal location is a place where there are a maximum number of pedestrians and the least number of vehicles. In fact if you can get through to ‘pedestrian only’ locations that exist in some downtown (city centre) areas, that would be fabulous.
This idea could be implemented in countries like Israel, the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Denmark, Holland.
And any other countries where the government and public sentiment is in support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the American invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq or countries that had a prominent role in the defamation of Muhammad.
https://twitter.com/CodeAud/status/752205059346141184
The manner that the attack was conducted in also seems to be in keeping with calls from ISIS spokesperson Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, the Independent reports.
According to a translation from the SITE Intelligence Group, he said in a message:
If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman or any of their allies.
Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car.
An #ISIS poster. If we don't fight them in #Syria/#Iraq, they will kill us in our countries… It's time for war. pic.twitter.com/MhmNwzVgxF
— Thomas C. Theiner (@noclador) July 14, 2016
The attack in Nice is the latest in Western Europe following the Charlie Hebdo attack, the November 2015 Paris attacks, and the bombing of Brussels airport.
France has extended its state of emergency.