“Islamic State”claimed Tuesday a shooting during an anti-Muslim event in Texas showcasing cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
In its first attack on the US, two men drove up to the conference centre Sunday in Garland, Texas, where the right-wing American Freedom Defense Initiative was organising the controversial cartoon contest. The two assailants then began shooting at a security guard.
Garland police officers then shot and killed both attackers, who were identified to be Elton Simpson, 31, and Nadir Soofi, 34.
A similar attack took place in January, when nine journalists at Charlie Hebdo and its editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier were killed after the French paper published cartoons mocking religion.
Two police officers were also killed in the attack, for which Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility. Media reports quoted eye-witnesses as saying the gunmen shouted ‘revenge for the prophet’, before carrying out the attack.
