ISIS's quick claim of responsibility for the worst mass killing in U.S. history has experts puzzled.
The group took credit for the horrific attack in Las Vegas on its semi-official news agency, Amaq.
The group claimed Paddock, whom they identified as "Abu Abd Abdulbar al-Ameriki," was a "soldier of the Caliphate." Later, ISIS claimed he had converted to Islam months ago.
"This is, to say the least, very strange," tweeted Amarnath Amarasingam, a research fellow at George Washington University's extremism program.
Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, which closely tracks the group, agreed.
Experts who track the group closely say when it comes to attacks in the West, if ISIS is claiming responsibility, there is usually some kind of connection between the perpetrator and the group, The Hill reported.
Still, ISIS often claims responsibility for attacks that might have only been inspired by the radical Islamist ideology — not directed or funded by ISIS leadership.
But until recently, claims of responsibility put out through official channels were seen as reliable — but that might be changing, The Hill reported.
In June, ISIS took credit for a deadly attack on a casino in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, claiming the shooter converted to Islam months before. But the attack later appeared to be a botched robbery by a gambling addict.
Last month, the group claimed it had placed bombs at Charles de Gaulle Airport, sparking an evacuation. But there were no bombs and the evacuation was unrelated to terrorism, The Hill reported.
Katz added two more tweets.
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