The Islamic State extremist group Monday claimed responsibility for the attack in Las Vegas, the deadliest shooting massacre in U.S. history. Amaq, a news agency affiliated with Islamic State, quoted an unnamed security source who said that 64-year-old Stephen Paddock was a “soldier of Islamic State” who had "executed the attack in response to the calls to target the nations of the Coalition." Islamic State has long exhorted its followers to conduct attacks in Western countries, saying they are the best way for would-be jihadis residing in the West to help the group. Islamic State publications provide instructions on how to plow vehicles into crowds and cause the maximum amount of carnage. Yet it remained unclear what connection Paddock, a resident of Mesquite, Nev., about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, had to Islamic State.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 02, 2017 15:06 UTC