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DOJ Releases Report on San Bernardino Attack

The Justice Department has released an in depth report, Bringing Calm to Chaos, (available here) on the December, 2015 San Bernardino shootings. Shooters Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik died in a shootout with police.

The report addresses first responder and law enforcement response to the attack. It is not a critique, and calls the response to the shootings "exemplary." Its purpose is to "critically assess the decisions made and the actions taken in response to the terrorist attacks- not in judgment but in careful study." It hopes to be a lesson for future attacks. [More...]

From the report, as to the shooters:

[Investigators] determined the two shooters had fired at least 81 shots at police officers. The investigators found an additional 1,879 rounds of .223 ammunition and another 484 rounds of 9-mm ammunition inside the SUV. Some of the rounds were in an ammunition canister while still more were in a black backpack. They also discovered that the assailants had taped ammunition magazines together to make switching them out easier. Inside the SUV, investigators also found what they believed was the trigger apparatus intended to be used to detonate the secondary devices found at the IRC.

The shooters had medical supplies in a blue backpack. These supplies consisted of ibuprofen pills and several quick-clot agents including tourniquets, emergency bandages used for traumatic wounds, and even adult diapers possibly to act as absorbing bandages. They were not wearing body armor. They wore all black clothing, including ski masks, and load-bearing vests. They both wore Airsoft neck guards—used to stop plastic pellets in a military simulation game—which was curious because that equipment would have done nothing to stop bullets.

Their bodies were transferred to the morgue. The male assailant had 25 wounds, most of which were to his legs. He also sustained a gunshot wound to his chin that fragmented into his neck. The female assailant sustained two shots to the head and 13 others to her body.

I would like to see an official report on the shooters, especially the wife. There has been a lot of contradictory reporting on her life in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and her family ties. When did she get radicalized? Was she an operative? Did she convert her husband or vice-versa? There's been a dearth of reporting on them since December, 2015. All the first responders in the world can't prevent a terror attack by determined perpetrators. Why not expend some effort to understand their motivation and background, beyond the superficial and contradictory news reports? This is about as far as I got on her life in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

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  • Display: Sort:
    An increased world-wide effort to clamp (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by jondee on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 10:47:59 AM EST
    down on the ravings (which, imo, has nothing to do with "speech") of anyone anywhere who overtly promotes the slaughter of innocent people certainly wouldn't hurt..

    To some extent the m.o of terrorists, like it or not, is a continuation of the Total War precedent established in the 20th century. Once you as a jihadist accept that the U.S is the enemy, then little old ladies in NY, Baltimore, and San Berdoo become the enemy. Just as little old ladies in Hamburg and Coventry became the enemy in WWII..

    Just a small quibble here. (none / 0) (#1)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 09, 2016 at 09:49:10 PM EST
    The name of the city is San Bernardino, and not "Bernadino."

    Thanks.

    Thanks, I fixed it (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Sep 09, 2016 at 10:38:01 PM EST
    and wouldn't have realized it but for your comment. Much appreciated.

    Parent
    She was radicalized before (none / 0) (#3)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 09:04:59 AM EST
    they met and he was radicalized before they met.

    In Senate Judiciary Committee testimony given on December 9, 2015, FBI Director James B. Comey....On December 16, 2015, Comey said, "We can see from our investigation that in late 2013, before there is a physical meeting of these two people [Farook and Malik] resulting in their engagement and then journey to the United States, they are communicating online, showing signs in that communication of their joint commitment to jihadism and to martyrdom. ]

    Link

    Malik sent at least two private messages on Facebook to a small group of Pakistani friends in 2012 and 2014, pledging her support for Islamic jihad and saying she hoped to join the fight one day, two top federal law enforcement officials said. Messages of religious extremism on her Facebook account in late 2014 were a source of concern for her family in Pakistan, a family member in Pakistan told The Times.

    Link

    There has been criticism that these emails and social media posts should have been seen by the people who cleared her entrance into the US.

    Yet they were not seen and 14 were killed 22 seriously injured.

    In the meantime thousands more refugees have arrived or on the way.

    she was not a refugee (none / 0) (#9)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 12:23:41 PM EST
    She emigrated here to marry an American citizen. A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

    Parent
    Agree (none / 0) (#11)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 03:02:27 PM EST
    And my bad for not being clear.

    The same people who vetted her are the same people vetting the refugees.

    Parent

    Really (none / 0) (#12)
    by jondee on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 03:19:29 PM EST
    Somehow you know that for fact.

    You must have more contacts than I thought.

    Or, did you mean the exact same system is place and functioning in the exact same way as it did before?

    And how do you know that? The government doesn't send out a notice to talk radio every time it alters or refines it's programs and operations.

    Parent

    Jeralyn, I Share Your Frustration (none / 0) (#4)
    by RickyJim on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 09:06:04 AM EST
    Why not expend some effort to understand their motivation and background, beyond the superficial and contradictory news reports?
    I have been looking for in depth articles on "Why they do it" since 9/11 and haven't found very much. If their goal is to make people fearful, miserable and dead, then they have succeeded.  But why that goal?  They haven't caused more people to convert to Islam, helped the Palestinians overcome Israel or driven the US out of the middle east.  In fact, the opposite has happened.

    Maybe the best way to counter terrorism is to point out its lack of success and try to convince the terrorists to adopt a kinder, gentler strategy.  Of course, it would help if we were sure why they are so willing to kill themselves along with others.  

    my question on motivation was (none / 0) (#10)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Sep 10, 2016 at 12:27:02 PM EST
    specific to this couple. Jim's response was deleted, as were responses to it, none of which were about this couple's motivation.