WorldViews

Islamic State claims responsibility for Paris attacks

By Swati Sharma

November 14, 2015 at 7:34 AM

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The Post's Peter Finn tells you what you need to know about the audio released by the Islamic State on Saturday, Nov. 14 claiming responsibility for the attacks in Paris. (The Washington Post)

The Islamic State stated that it was behind the attacks in Paris, one of the deadliest attacks in France since World War II. French President François Hollande called the massacres an “act of war” by the Islamic State. Read the full coverage here. 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent
Allah (ta'ala) said, {They thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allah but Allah came upon them from where they had not expected, and He cast terror into their hearts so they destroyed their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take warning, O people of vision} [Al-Hashr:2].
In a blessed battle whose causes of success were enabled by Allah, a group of believers from the soldiers of the Caliphate (may Allah strengthen and support it) set out targeting the capital of prostitution and vice, the lead carrier of the cross in Europe-Paris. This group of believers were youth who divorced the worldly life and advanced towards their enemy hoping to be killed for Allah's sake, doing so in support of His religion, His Prophet (blessing and peace be upon him), and His allies. They did so in spite of His enemies. Thus, they were truthful with Allah — we consider them so — and Allah granted victory upon their hands and cast terror into the hearts of the crusaders in their very own homeland.
And so eight brothers equipped with explosive belts and assault rifles attacked precisely chosen targets in the center of the capital of France. These targets included the Stade de France stadium during a soccer match — between the teams of Germany and France, both of which are crusader nations — attended by the imbecile of France (Francois Hollande). The targets included the Bataclan theatre for exhibitions, where hundreds of pagans gathered for a concert of prostitution and vice. There were also simultaneous attacks on other targets in the tenth, eleventh, and eighteenth districts, and elsewhere. Paris was thereby shaken beneath the crusaders' feet, who were constricted by its streets. The result of the attacks was the deaths of no less than two hundred crusaders and the wounding of even more. All praise, grace, and favor belong to Allah.
Allah blessed our brothers and granted them what they desired. They detonated their explosive belts in the masses of the disbelievers after finishing all their ammunition. We ask Allah to accept them amongst the martyrs and to allow us to follow them.
Let France and all nations following its path know that they will continue to be at the top of the target list for the Islamic State and that the scent of death will not leave their nostrils as long as they partake in the crusader campaign, as long as they dare to curse our Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him), and as long as they boast about their war against Islam in France and their strikes against Muslims in the lands of the Caliphate with their jets, which were of no avail to them in the filthy streets and alleys of Paris. Indeed, this is just the beginning. It is also a warning for any who wish to take heed.
Allah is the greatest.
(And to Allah belongs all honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know) [Al-Munafiqun: 8].
An undated handout photograph made available by the Belgian Federal Police, April 8, shows Mohamed Abrini who was arrested by Belgian officials. Abrin is a key suspect from last years terrorist attacks in Paris. (EPA)
Belgian and French police say Belgian national Abdelhamid Abaaoud is a possible central figure of the Paris attacks. (via AP)
French police have named another suspect, Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national. (French police/via AFP/Getty Images)
People light candles as they pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks at the Old Harbour in Marseille, France. (Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters)
Mourners embrace in front of Le Carillon restaurant in Paris. (Laurence Geai for The Washington Post)
Mourners light candles at the Place de la Rpublique square in Paris. (Laurence Geai for The Washington Post)
Flowers and candles are placed near the scene of a shooting, the day after the series of deadly attacks. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
A man takes a picture of bullet holes at the scene of a shooting in Paris. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
People react near the scene of a shooting in Paris. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
Members of the rock band U2 -- lead singer Bono, left, bass player Adam Clayton, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and guitarist The Edge --leave flowers near the Bataclan concert hall in Paris in memory of the victims. (Franck Fife/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
People leave candles and flowers outside Le Carillon restaurant in Paris. (Virginie Nguyen Hoang/For the Washington Post)
Women embrace outside Le Carillon restaurant. (Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images)
Candles, flowers and a placard at a memorial to victims in Strasbourg, France. (Frederick Florin/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
A woman spends a moment in silence at a memorial in tribute to the victims of the attacks in Paris. (Jeff Pachoud/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
The lights are turned off on the Eiffel Tower. (Alain Jocard/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
A man stands next to messages of love near the "Belle Equipe" restaurant, site of one of the attacks in Paris. (Lionel Bonaventure/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
A woman is comforted by others outside the Carillon restaurant in Paris, the morning after a series of deadly attacks in Paris. (Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images)
Two men mourn in front of the terrace of the Casa Nostra restaurant. (Virginie Nguyen Hoang for The Washington Post)
A woman weeps outside Le Carillon restaurant. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
People gather to pay their respects at the Cafe Bonne Biere restaurant. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Scientific and judicial police in Paris. (Virginie Nguyen Hoang for The Washington Post)
A rose with a note attached rests in a bullet hole in the window of a restaurant in Paris. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
Wine glasses stand on a table behind bulletholes in a window at Le Carillon restaurant. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post)
A crowd of people gather outside Le Carillon restaurant following the shooting. (Virginie Nguyen Hoang/For The Washington Post)
A man pays his respects outside Le Carillon restaurant. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
Flowers rest on the doorstep of Le Carillon. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
A man lays flowers near a French flag at a memorial in tribute to the victims of the attacks at the place de la Republique in Paris. (Martin Bureau/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
An investigator works outside the Bataclan concert hall. (Christophe Ena/AP)
People gather at Place de la Republique in Paris. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post)
A woman prays next to messages and flowers left near the Bataclan concert hall. (Kenzo Tribouillard/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
Police secure the area near the screened-off facade of the Bataclan Cafe and its adjoining concert hall in Paris. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)
A shoe belonging to one of the victims is surrounded by candles and flowers. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post)
A broken watch lies on the ground outside the Bataclan concert hall. (Laurent Dubrule/European Pressphoto Agency)
A plastic glove lies outside the Bataclan concert hall. (Laurent Dubrule/European Pressphoto Agency)
The bodies of victims are evacuated near the Bataclan concert hall. (Kenzo Tribouillard/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
People gather at a sign where flowers have been placed at the French-Italian border line in Menton, France. (Boris Horvat/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
French National Police agents guard one of the border controls established by Spain and France in Irun, Spain. (Gorka Estrada/European Pressphoto Agency)
A soldier patrols the grounds of the Eiffel Tower. (Guillaume Horcajuelo/European Pressphoto Agency)
Victims lay on the pavement outside Le Carillon restaurant in Paris. French police on Friday reported attacks in restaurants, a bar near a stadium and a concert hall. It was unclear whether the events were linked. (Thibault Camus/AP)
Rescue workers run near the Place de la Republique. (Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images)
French riot police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
People sit next to a covered body outside a restaurant following a shooting. (Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)
Police outside a restaurant in Paris following a shooting. (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)
Victims lay on the pavement outside a restaurant. (Thibault Camus/AP)
Emergency personnel confer outside a restaurant where a shooting occurred. (Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)
Rescue workers work by victims outside a restaurant in Paris. (Thibault Camus/AP)
Police officers and rescue workers outside the Petit Cambodge restaurant. (Pierre Monfort/AFP/Getty Images)
French security workers move people in the area of Rue Bichat. (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)
People take cover near the Bataclan concert hall in Paris. (Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images)
A man lies on the ground as French police check his identity near the Bataclan concert hall. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
French special forces evacuate people from near the Bataclan concert hall. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
Emergency personnel carry a woman from the Bataclan concert hall. (Thibault Camus/AP)
French fire brigade members aid an injured woman near the Bataclan concert hall. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
Rescue workers help a woman outside the Bataclan concert hall. (Thibault Camus/AP)
Rescue workers evacuate an injured person near the Bataclan concert hal. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)
A crowd watches emergency personnel care for an injured man near the Bataclan concert hall. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)
People look out from a window near the Bataclan concert hall. (Laurence Geai/for The Washington Post)
Police forces, firefighters and rescue workers secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall. (Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images)
A man offers coffee to the French military as they secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall. (Virginie Nguyen Hoang/For The Washington Post)
A police officer directs people outside the Stade de France in Saint-Denis outside Paris during a soccer match between France against Germany. (Michel Euler/AP)
Spectators run onto the field of the Stade de France. (Christophe Ena/AP)
Spectators gather on the field at Stade de France after the soccer game ended. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
A wounded man is helped into an emergency vehicle near the Stade de France. (Ian Langsdon/European Pressphoto Agency)
Crowds leave the Stade de France, where explosions were reported. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
Forensic experts inspect the site of an attack outside the Stade de France. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
Police officers investigate the scene outside the Stade de France. (Michel Euler/AP)
Police officers secure a street outside the Stade de France. (Michel Euler/AP)
French President Franois Hollande speaks to the reporters. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)
A victim lies under a blanket outside the Bataclan concert hall. (Laurence Geai/for The Washington Post)
People comfort one another before being evacuated by bus near the Bataclan concert hall. (Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images)
People attend a vigil outside the French consulate in Montreal. In a statement Friday night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered all of Canadas support to France. (Graham Hughes/AP)
A man kneels to place a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the Consulate General of France in San Francisco. (Stephen Lam/Reuters)
Perus national soccer players observe a moment of silence for victims of attacks in Paris, before their 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Paraguay in Lima, Peru. (Mariana Bazo/Reuters)
Photo Gallery: France mourns after the deadly attacks in Paris

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Swati Sharma is a digital editor for World and National Security and previously worked at the Boston Globe.

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