Thread by @rcallimachi

1. The Islamic State has just claimed responsibility for today's explosion in the London Underground via their news agency, Amaq:

2. Using Google translate, here's what it says: "Explosive device in subway in London implemented by a detachment of the Islamic state"

3. Language they're using - "a detachment" - means they want us to believe that more than 1 attacker was involved. (Remains to be seen)

4. An interesting thing: ISIS typically doesn't claim when an attacker is still at large. Everything we know suggests attacker is on the lam

5. I'm puzzled by analysts who call events like today's "a failed terrorist attack." 29 people were hospitalized. Maybe we should ask them.

6. From ISIS' standpoint, this is a success. Whether person doing this was inspired or directed by them, purpose of terror is to terrorize

7. After every attack, I add to my folder titled "They Claim Everything." Fact: Few are cases where IS claimed an attack + 0 link was found

8. The thing to understand is that ISIS unlike the rest of us does not distinguish bet fighters dispatched by them + those inspired by them

9. IS refers to the guy who blows himself up in Mosul + guy who uses a kitchen knife to stab someone in Ohio as "soldiers of the Caliphate"

10. ISIS has now released an official claim on its Nashir portal. This is the usual chain of custody for ISIS (Amaq, then Nashir):

11. The Nashir claim says that they harmed "30 crusaders." (As per usual they inflate the casualty figure; NYT has 29 hospitalized.)

12. According to @siteintelgroup's translation,
the communique from ISIS refers to soldiers of the Islamic State (plural) and bombs (plural)

13. Sky News reporter quotes Scotland Yard confirming that they are looking for more than one suspect:

14. One of the best reporters on this beat @CruickshankPaul is reporting that TATP was "likely" used. This is ISIS' signature explosive

15. Last year, in an effort to better understand mechanics of ISIS attacks, I travelled to a lab in Rhode Island to see the effects of TATP

16. See the video done by my colleagues after we visited the lab showing what 1 tablespoon of TATP does: nytimes.com/video/world/eu…