New York Post, May 23, 2017 – ISIS has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Manchester that claimed the lives of at least 22 people, and wounded 59 others.
“One of the soldiers of the Caliphate was able to place an explosive device within a gathering of the Crusaders in the city of Manchester,” the terror group said in a statement published on its social media channels.
The claim came after ISIS celebrated the atrocity at Monday’s packed Ariana Grande performance at Manchester Arena as a victory against the “crusaders” of the West, The Telegraph reported.
An English-speaking ISIS supporter appeared earlier in a video holding up a sign with the word “Manchester” and the date of the attack.
“This is only the beginning. The lions of Islamic State of Iraq and Sham are beginning to attack all the crusaders,” the masked man said in the clip.
Other backers of the jihadists said the attack was revenge for the UK’s involvement in the bombing campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
“It seems that the bombs of the British airforce over children of Mosul and Raqqa has just come back to Manchester,” one user said.
Michael S. Smith II, a US-based terrorism expert, said the celebrations on ISIS social media sites were a “strong indicator” that the attack may be linked to the jihadist group, the site reported.
