Paris Attack Proves IS Can Project Terror in West

 

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People gather in solidarity for the victims of a terror attack against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris on Wednesday. AP

Global Jihad: After well-armed Muslim terrorists struck the heart of Paris, killing at least 12 and wounding another 11, the Islamic State praised the attack and promised, "More will follow." The threat should be taken seriously.

In September, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned that his country's intelligence had captured several IS fighters who revealed a plot to attack transit systems in Paris and New York.

On Wednesday, it appears they hit one target, though it was the Paris office of a magazine that lampooned Muslim prophet Muhammad and not the city subway system. Still, the administration must get serious about defeating the Islamic State before it can project terrorism here on the same scale. This was not a lone-wolf attack. It cannot be written off by our leaders and the media's PC ostriches as a "one-off" act by a "deranged" individual.

It was by all accounts a professionally planned Mumbai-style attack involving a three-man cell brandishing semi-automatic weapons and wearing commando-style vests with extra magazine clips of ammo. Shouting "Allahu Akbar," the black-clad terrorists slaughtered at least 10 journalists, including cartoonists, and two police officers — one of whom was brutally shot in the head as he lay wounded in the street.

No group has formally taken credit. But less than an hour before the attack IS posted what appeared to be a related tweet. It was a picture depicting Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of IS in Iraq, with a message wishing him "Best wishes." (One witness claimed to overhear one of the terrorists say they were al-Qaida in Yemen, but that's not been corroborated.)

After the attack, another IS leader gushed: "The lions of Islam have avenged our Prophet. These are our lions. It's the first drops — more will follow," he said, speaking via an Internet connection from Syria. "Let these crusaders be scared because they should be."

What we should be is angry. Not just with the terrorists, but with our leaders who have turned a blind eye to this growing Islamofascist menace. There's no mystery to these bloodthirsty bastards. They do what they say, and they do it in the name of Islam. Take them at their word. Stop ignoring the warnings they telegraph.

The Paris assault is precisely the kind of attack IS called for in November, when French-speaking fighters released a video burning their passports and declaring: "You have oppressed us, fought our religion and insulted our Prophet." They urged France's 5 million Muslims to wage jihad at home against the "kafir."

"Terrorize them and do not allow them to sleep due to fear and horror. There are weapons and cars available for targets ready to be hit," they added. "Kill them and spit in their faces and run over them with your cars."

Last month, three Muslims mowed down 11 pedestrians in Dijon with their car, screaming "Allah Akbar." They may have been lone wolves, but not the Paris terrorists. They appeared to have military training abroad.

Paris proved the threat isn't confined to faraway battlefields in Muslim nations. The enemy is taking their training to our streets. And their threats are not just limited to propaganda. They are acting out on their rhetoric.

We must kill them over there, before they can kill us here. That requires boots on the ground, Mr. President.