The Aftermath of the Nice Attack: Is ISIS’ “Prestige” on the Rise?

While details continue to emerge about Thursday’s terrorist attack in Nice, France, one thing remains clear: regardless of whether ISIS orchestrated the attack, inspired it, or had no connection to it whatsoever, the organization’s “prestige” among its supporters continues to rise after each terrorist incident.

“In the early hours after the attack, the debate was over, “Is this actually an ISIS attack?”—which is the exact same one we had in Orlando and San Bernardino,” says Patrick Skinner, Cipher Brief expert and Director of Special Projects at The Soufan Group. “In a way it doesn’t really matter, because they are going to say it is and people will believe it.”

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