Radical Islamic Terrorists Attack Americans in San Bernardino, California

On Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015, two Islamic terrorists attacked unarmed Americans at a County Regional Center for the disabled in San Bernardino, California. Fourteen were killed and 21 wounded. The two attackers, U.S.-born Syed Farook and Pakistani national Tashfeed Malik, were married and had a six month old baby. Before the attack, Malik had pledged allegiance to Islamic State and Farook had shared his pro-Islamic State sympathies with his father. This was the largest terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11/2001.

The Attack
Syed Farook was an employee at the Regional Center he attacked and therefore knew the layout of the complex and his victims well. On the morning of the attack, Farook was at a training session that was followed by a holiday party and lunch. At 10:30, he left the party. At 10:59, Farook returned to the party with Malik. Both wore non-armored black tactical outfits, ski masks, and were armed with semi-automatic pistols, semi-automatic rifles, and pipe bombs. Within the next three to four minutes, the attackers shot and killed 14 and wounded 21. They left an explosive in the room and drove off in their black SUV. The explosive did not detonate.

Police Response
Within minutes, police and medical professionals responded to the emergency. Because of the quick response, many of those injured were saved. Over the next three to four hours, police searched for the couple who perpetrated the act. Somebody reported a suspicious black SUV parked outside a home in Redlands. During the police response, the couple drove away, back to San Bernardino. Police chased them, engaged the couple in a gunfight, and killed Syed Farook and Tafsheen Malik.
 
The Attackers
Syed Farook was born and raised in the United States of America, and it is believed his wife, Tafsheen Malik, was born and raised in Pakistan. Authorities think they met two years ago, through an online dating service. Syed Farook married Tafsheen Malik when he visited Saudi Arabia on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Both were Muslim, and both strongly favored the ideology of Islamic State. Islamic State has declared war against the United States of America and Israel and targets civilians.

Authorities are investigating if the attackers were directed by a foreign terrorist organization. On the morning of the attack, Malik pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Farook’s father has reported that his son spoke strongly in favor of Islamic State. The attackers destroyed or hid all digital history, such as their cell phones and hard drives to their computers, to make it difficult for authorities to find answers.

The couple lived in Redlands, California, with Farook’s mom and their 6 month-old baby. They were prepared for an assault that had perhaps many targets. In and around their vehicle were found over 1,400 rounds for their rifles, and over 200 rounds for their handguns. At their home were more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition and twelve pipe bombs. Farook’s mother claims she had no idea of the plan to attack nor of the large amounts of weapons found in the house she lived in. Farook’s family also states they knew nothing of the attack nor of the couple’s intention to kill others.

The Victims
All of the victims were employees who worked at the Regional Center that was geared towards helping the disabled. Some had fled countries where their lives were in danger because of oppressive governments. Tin Nguyen, 31, had fled Vietnam when she was 8, attended Adams Elementary, McFadden Intermediate, and Santa Ana Valley in Santa Ana, California, and later earned her college degree from Cal State Fullerton. Tin was engaged to be married. Classmate Phi Luong said of Tin, “She just had that personality, you know, that goodness about her.” Nguyen had become the sole provider for her mother and older brother and had bought the home for her family. One victim, 45-year-old male Shannon Johnson, placed his body in between 27-year-old Denise Peraza and the attackers, saying to the young woman, “I got you.” Johnson was killed and Peraza survived.
 
The American Response
As reported earlier, the San Bernardino police responded immediately to the terrorist attack, and eventually killed the two assailants. The federal government, however, has made no immediate change in the American response to terror because of the San Bernardino attacks. Immediately after the attacks, President Obama issued a statement explaining that gun violence was too common in America and called for stricter gun laws. After the FBI confirmed that this was an act of terror, President Obama gave a speech to the country on Sunday, December 6th. During the speech, President Obama reviewed how the federal government was combatting terrorism, he chastised Congress for not creating stricter gun control laws, and he warned Americans not to act in a discriminatory way against Muslims.
 
Questions:

1. What happened on December 2, 2015, in San Bernardino?
2. Who were the two attackers?
3. Describe the weapons of the attackers.
4. Describe at least one of the victims.
5. How has the federal government responded? What did President Obama state the U.S.A. will do to combat terrorism?