IS can't undermine American way of life: Obama
NEW YORK, September 19, 2016
President Barack Obama on Monday asked Americans not to succumb to fear after multiple recent attacks, pledging to keep fighting the so-called Islamic State terror group abroad and its ideology at home.
"I think it is important to remember what terrorists and violent extremists are trying to do. They are trying to hurt innocent people, but they also want to inspire fear in all of us, and disrupt the way we live to undermine our values," stated Obama while speaking in New York City following explosions there and in New Jersey and a separate stabbing of several people at a mall in Minnesota over the weekend.
Working to calm Americans' jitters after a series of attempts at mass violence, Obama said yielding to fear amounted to a win for terrorists.
"We all have a role to play as citizens in making sure that we don't succumb to that fear. And there is no better example of that than the people of New York and New Jersey," he stated.
The Minnesota attack appeared linked to another explosion in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and a series of pipe bombs found in a backpack Sunday night in Elizabeth, New Jersey, said the President.
It is being investigated separately as a "potential act of terrorism," added Obama.
An ISIS wing had claimed responsibility for the Minnesota attack.
Obama insisted his administration was going after the terror group aggressively to prevent any further violence.
"We will continue to lead the global coalition on the fight to destroy ISIL, which is instigating a lot of people over the internet, to carry out attacks," Obama said, using the administration's term for the Islamic State group.
"We are going to continue to go after them. We're going to take out their leaders, we're going to take out their infrastructure," he added.