New York - The San Bernardino massacre that claimed the lives of 14 people and injured over 20 others at the hands of criminals Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik on Wednesday, has raised the question of whether it was a terrorist act or a workplace grudge.
United States President Barack Obama will address the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday evening on the San Bernardino investigation and "discuss the broader threat of terrorism – including the nature of the threat, how it has evolved, and how we will defeat it”, according to a statement by the White House.
"He will reiterate his firm conviction that ISIL will be destroyed and that the United States must draw upon our values – our unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and freedom -- to prevail over terrorist groups that use violence to advance a destructive ideology," the statement said.
According to several media reports, the so-called Islamic State extremist group had described the couple as "supporters" of ISIS in an online radio broadcast.
"We pray to God to accept them as martyrs," the broadcast said, but failed to indicate whether ISIS planned the shooting. They have not officially claimed responsibility for the act as they usually do following an attack.
According to FBI Director James Comey, Farook and Malik showed signs of “radicalization” in their behavior leading to the shooting, but that there was no clear evidence they were part of a larger terrorist network.
In addition, Facebook confirmed that comments reportedly praising allegiance to ISSI were posted just before the shooting to an account created by Malik under a different name.
However, officials believe that Malik's posts do not indicate that ISIS militants instructed the couple to carry out the killings, but that they had become “self-radicalized” instead.
During a radio address, Obama said it is “entirely possible” that Farook and Malik were radicalized to commit “this act of terror”, but that Americans “are strong. We are resilient and we will not be terrorized.”
“We know that IS and other terrorist groups are actively encouraging people – around the world and in our country – to commit terrible acts of violence, often times as lone wolf actors,” Obama added.
“All of us – government, law enforcement, communities, faith leaders – need to work together to prevent people from falling victim to these hateful ideologies,” he concluded in a message of unity.
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