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| Paris Assault Examined for Qaeda and ISIS Methods | |
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| Wednesday’s attack on a satirical newspaper in Paris prompted speculation about the involvement of an organized terrorist group, possibly the Islamic State, whose leaders have called for sympathizers to carry out assaults wherever they can. These “lone wolf” attacks have included the siege of a cafe in Sydney, Australia, last month; an attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May; and a gunman’s rampage through the Parliament building in Ottawa in October. | Wednesday’s attack on a satirical newspaper in Paris prompted speculation about the involvement of an organized terrorist group, possibly the Islamic State, whose leaders have called for sympathizers to carry out assaults wherever they can. These “lone wolf” attacks have included the siege of a cafe in Sydney, Australia, last month; an attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May; and a gunman’s rampage through the Parliament building in Ottawa in October. |
| Even as French and other Western intelligence and counterterrorism officials said they had not yet determined which extremist groups, if any, might have been involved in the attack in Paris, some veteran analysts and terror experts suggested that Al Qaeda or one of its affiliates might be implicated. | Even as French and other Western intelligence and counterterrorism officials said they had not yet determined which extremist groups, if any, might have been involved in the attack in Paris, some veteran analysts and terror experts suggested that Al Qaeda or one of its affiliates might be implicated. |
| They point out that the operation against Charlie Hebdo — a satirical French newspaper known for its cartoons lampooning religious extremism, including a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad — was led by at least three assailants, in contrast to the wave of lone-gunman attacks attributed to extremists inspired by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. | |
| Furthermore, they said, it showed a degree of sophistication and forethought that was lacking from those carried out by Islamic State sympathizers — like the Sydney siege, led by a convert to Islam who brought the wrong jihadist flag to the scene of the attack and later asked the police to bring him the correct one. | Furthermore, they said, it showed a degree of sophistication and forethought that was lacking from those carried out by Islamic State sympathizers — like the Sydney siege, led by a convert to Islam who brought the wrong jihadist flag to the scene of the attack and later asked the police to bring him the correct one. |
| One witness to the attack in Paris on Wednesday, Cédric Le Béchec, 33, a real estate agent, told a French publication that the gunmen had yelled, “Tell the media that we are Al Qaeda in Yemen.” | One witness to the attack in Paris on Wednesday, Cédric Le Béchec, 33, a real estate agent, told a French publication that the gunmen had yelled, “Tell the media that we are Al Qaeda in Yemen.” |
| Peter Neumann, a terrorism expert at King’s College London, said that the assault in Paris looked more organized than previous lone-wolf attacks and that it was possible that a branch of Al Qaeda was behind it. | Peter Neumann, a terrorism expert at King’s College London, said that the assault in Paris looked more organized than previous lone-wolf attacks and that it was possible that a branch of Al Qaeda was behind it. |
| Jean-Paul Rouiller, director of the Geneva Center for Training and Analysis of Terrorism, said that in the previous attacks, targets were chosen only because they were Western, and were missing the symbolism that often came with Qaeda-led assaults. | Jean-Paul Rouiller, director of the Geneva Center for Training and Analysis of Terrorism, said that in the previous attacks, targets were chosen only because they were Western, and were missing the symbolism that often came with Qaeda-led assaults. |
| That the killers spoke in French while carrying out their assault revived a question that has grown increasingly urgent in France: whether French citizens inspired by jihadist groups are returning from Syria and Iraq trained to carry out attacks or are responding to calls from jihadist groups to hit specific targets. | That the killers spoke in French while carrying out their assault revived a question that has grown increasingly urgent in France: whether French citizens inspired by jihadist groups are returning from Syria and Iraq trained to carry out attacks or are responding to calls from jihadist groups to hit specific targets. |
| In Washington, American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said they were combing through electronic communications and other information for clues about the attackers. | In Washington, American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said they were combing through electronic communications and other information for clues about the attackers. |
| “The reality is, we simply don’t know yet,” said Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which received a briefing on the shootings Wednesday afternoon from the National Counterterrorism Center. | “The reality is, we simply don’t know yet,” said Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which received a briefing on the shootings Wednesday afternoon from the National Counterterrorism Center. |
| Among the signs pointing to Al Qaeda is the fact that a recent issue of Inspire — the propaganda magazine published by the Yemen affiliate of the group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — named Charlie Hebdo’s editor, Stéphane Charbonnier, to its suggested hit list of Westerners who have insulted the Muslim faith. His name appears in a two-page spread under the heading, “A Bullet a Day Keeps the Infidel Away — Defend the Prophet Mohammed.” | Among the signs pointing to Al Qaeda is the fact that a recent issue of Inspire — the propaganda magazine published by the Yemen affiliate of the group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — named Charlie Hebdo’s editor, Stéphane Charbonnier, to its suggested hit list of Westerners who have insulted the Muslim faith. His name appears in a two-page spread under the heading, “A Bullet a Day Keeps the Infidel Away — Defend the Prophet Mohammed.” |
| There were signs that the assailants had received military-style training. Two of the gunmen are seen in video footage moving across a narrow Parisian street shadowing each other, and also gripping their weapons correctly, Mr. Rouiller said, yet they appear to be relaxed — and they are almost casual in the moment when one is seen opening fire on a wounded police officer on the sidewalk. | There were signs that the assailants had received military-style training. Two of the gunmen are seen in video footage moving across a narrow Parisian street shadowing each other, and also gripping their weapons correctly, Mr. Rouiller said, yet they appear to be relaxed — and they are almost casual in the moment when one is seen opening fire on a wounded police officer on the sidewalk. |
| Online, a spat was underway between Islamic State and Qaeda supporters, with each trying to claim credit for the attack. ISIS sympathizers pointed to a seven-minute video released in November and produced by the Islamic State’s official Al Hayat Media Center. It shows three French fighters burning their passports and imploring their countrymen to rise up. “There are weapons and cars available and targets ready to be hit,” says one of the French-speaking narrators. | Online, a spat was underway between Islamic State and Qaeda supporters, with each trying to claim credit for the attack. ISIS sympathizers pointed to a seven-minute video released in November and produced by the Islamic State’s official Al Hayat Media Center. It shows three French fighters burning their passports and imploring their countrymen to rise up. “There are weapons and cars available and targets ready to be hit,” says one of the French-speaking narrators. |
| “I don’t respect this head-to-head A.Q. and I.S. fan business over the French attack,” a self-described ISIS fighter going by the name Qaqa al-Baritani saidon Twitter, according to a transcript provided by SITE Intelligence, which tracks jihadist statements. “Even if A.Q. did it, we will praise it.” | “I don’t respect this head-to-head A.Q. and I.S. fan business over the French attack,” a self-described ISIS fighter going by the name Qaqa al-Baritani saidon Twitter, according to a transcript provided by SITE Intelligence, which tracks jihadist statements. “Even if A.Q. did it, we will praise it.” |