Facebook Investigation Led It To San Bernardino Shooter's ISIS-Praising Account

Damian Dovarganes / AP

As part of an investigation following Wednesday's San Bernardino shooting, Facebook spotted an account that included a post praising ISIS allegedly published by one of the shooters, and removed the account for violating the company's community standards, a Facebook spokesman confirmed.

Facebook has carried out these types of investigations in similar situations in the past, the spokesman said. The content was allegedly posted by Tashfeen Malik around the time of the shooting.

Without confirming it was specially a pledge of allegiance to ISIS, a Facebook spokesperson said posts of that nature violate its community standards.

Facebook does not conduct automated searches for pledges to ISIS, or other terror groups on its platform, the spokesperson confirmed. It instead relies on user reports and investigations.

At a news conference Friday in San Bernardino, Assistant FBI Regional Director David Bowditch confirmed officials were investigating the attack that left 14 people dead and 21 others injured as an act of terrorism.

There were “a number of pieces of evidence that have... pushed us off the cliff” to investigate it as such, Bowditch said. “We are now investigating these horrific acts as an act
of terrorism."

Speaking about the Facebook post, Bowditch said “yes, there was a pledge of allegiance” to ISIS.

LINK: Live Updates: FBI Investigating Massacre As “Terrorism”; Female Shooter Pledged Allegiance To ISIS