Why do terrorist groups take credit for attacks?

[iamgine]

I've always wondered. If I'm the leader of a terror group, I wouldn't take credit for any bombings. In fact, I would vehemently deny the large attacks. Let other groups take credit for it. Why? Well because taking credit basically put a target to your group. Now suddenly countries put more resources into killing the group, supported by its citizens.

Is it just bragging right? Like "nyah nyah we the one blowin up your stuff" kind of deal?

[ISHGoat]

I've always wondered. If I'm the leader of a terror group, I wouldn't take credit for any bombings. In fact, I would vehemently deny the large attacks. Let other groups take credit for it. Why? Well because taking credit basically put a target to your group. Now suddenly countries put more resources into killing the group, supported by its citizens.

Is it just bragging right? Like "nyah nyah we the one blowin up your stuff" kind of deal?

If you don't know who is blowing you up, then you wouldn't know who to be afraid of.

[DonDadda59]

The whole point of terror campaigns is to gain attention for that particular group/movement. And most of them have death wishes already, so they're not too worried about the counter attacks from government. If anything they want boots on the ground in the Middle East. Makes it infinitely easier for them to not only launch attacks on their troops, but also push the narrative that Western powers are launching religious wars against Muslims and are trying to enslave/conquer Muslim countries.

[Nick Young]

I've always wondered. If I'm the leader of a terror group, I wouldn't take credit for any bombings. In fact, I would vehemently deny the large attacks. Let other groups take credit for it. Why? Well because taking credit basically put a target to your group. Now suddenly countries put more resources into killing the group, supported by its citizens.

Is it just bragging right? Like "nyah nyah we the one blowin up your stuff" kind of deal?
The only reason they do this shit is to build a rep. It defeats the point of terrorism if you don't know whose committing the acts of terror and why they're doing it.


ISIS wants the west to overextend and waste their resources in the Middle East. ISIS knows they would get roundly destroyed in straight combat with the Western nations. They know they are fighting a losing battle.


What they are fighting is a battle of attrition. We continue to weaken ourselves slowly and waste our resources. ISIS continues to demoralize us by not going way, and increasing violent attacks in the west. With Guerilla tactics and the terrain they are in, ISIS can hold out for a long long time if they wanted to.

The people controlling ISIS are not morons, they are pretty intelligent. Their tactics and strategies are working exactly how they wanted them to. If we don't take them seriously we are f*cked long term.

Obama made a mistake when he referred to ISIS as a JV team. The Paris massacre, the Istanbul airport massacre, the destruction and hijacking of a Russian plane, the Orlando massacre, the attacks in Beirut, San Bernadino Massacre and Nice massacre are a testament to that.

[Dr Seuss]

because they want to instill terror.

[LJJ]

I've always wondered. If I'm the leader of a terror group, I wouldn't take credit for any bombings. In fact, I would vehemently deny the large attacks. Let other groups take credit for it. Why? Well because taking credit basically put a target to your group. Now suddenly countries put more resources into killing the group, supported by its citizens.

Is it just bragging right? Like "nyah nyah we the one blowin up your stuff" kind of deal?

There is actually a morbid strategy to this. Sometimes they claim attacks, even attacks they haven't committed. Sometimes they don't claim attacks even though they were obviously tied to it.

At the Bataclan massacre, Muslim immigrant children were cheering on these attacks in their classrooms the next day throughout Europe. This is an example of an attack IS will claim. They know many Muslims living in Europe feel different about these attacks than the rest of the population. Big attack on Shia's in Iraq? They will claim it.

IS have made attacks on Turkey too, but never have claimed any of these. Claiming terror attacks in Turkey is counter to their interests. To claim or to not claim an attack both can be a means of terror in itself depending on the type of attack, the target and the victims.


One thing you have to understand in this is that they don't care about this: "Well because taking credit basically put a target to your group. Now suddenly countries put more resources into killing the group" at all. They very much believe their actions help Islam and they will get rewarded in the afterlife for it, they don't mind violence against them. They will base their strategy on whatever they think will help Islam the most and their personal survival is not a consideration.

[bluechox2]

no target is big enough to take down these groups