How reliable is the ISIS' claim about the Orlando terror attack

The US authorities have not yet blamed the ISIS for the Orlando incident in which 50 persons were killed. The ISIS was however quick to claim responsibility and even posted the same on their news agency Amaq.

Terrorist outfits thrive on major incidents and it was obvious when the ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in no time.

The question is whether this was an attack planned by the ISIS. The answer may be no, but the fact remains that it was an attack carried out in the name of the outfit.

In the name of the ISIS

The ISIS as an outfit is relatively different when compared to the rest. It believes in wars against governments and is largely restricted to Syria and Iraq.

However what one got to witness in Paris and Belgium go on to indicate that the outfit is gradually spreading its tentacles across the world.

However the ISIS as an outfit does not plan attacks. Like an al-Qaeda or Lashkar-e-Taiba attack would always be planned with the top boss being kept in the loop, the ISIS does not follow that pattern.

It has a bunch of fan boys and radicals who plan attacks on their own. They rely more on lone wolf attacks since these have proven to be the most effective.

The instruction to the cadres is that they are free to strike anywhere and they do not need to wait for an approval from the high command. The money, arms and logistics are all taken care of by the individual.

The only instruction is that they must make it known that the attack has been carried out in the name of the ISIS.

The Orlando shooting also appears similar. The FBI is technically right for now when it says it has not established an ISIS link. However going by the profile of the terrorist Omar Mateen it is very clear that he was a fan boy of the ISIS.

He gave the FBI enough indications since 2013 that he had leanings towards the ISIS.

In 2013 he had told his co-workers about his leanings. In 2014 he was found to be linked to Moner Mohammad the first US citizen to carry out a suicide bombing in Syria. Again on the Sunday in the morning he had called 911 and pledged his support to the ISIS.

This is exactly how operatives of the ISIS living out of Syria and Iraq operate. They are not part of the set up of the organisation. They do not wait for orders, instructions or funds. They just plan attacks and carry them out in the name of the ISIS.