As news broke on 28 November of Somali-born refugee Abdul Razak Ali Artan's attack at Ohio State University, so followed the recurring narrative of the sad new normal. There was the attack method: in this case made with a knife and vehicle, two approaches instructed by the Islamic State (IS) in weeks prior via video and magazine guides disseminated on social media.

When observing Ahmad Khan Rahami’s history, the 28 year old’s bombings in New Jersey and New York seem like a fitting manifestation. There’s his long stay in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region, his history of violence, his reportedly intensified piety, and his father’s claim that he “told the F.B.I. to keep an eye on him.”

1)Drug-dealing #Copenhagen shooter Mesa Hodzic identified by #ISIS’ Amaq as ISIS “soldier” https://t.co/n03tOHNdZ2

— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) September 2, 2016

Aaron Driver, a 23 year-old Canadian who reportedly attempted to perform a suicide attack in the Ontario town of Strathroy before being killed by police officers on August 10, was a highly active member of the pro-Islamic State (IS) social media community.

As the Rio 2016 Olympics come near, al-Qaeda (AQ) and Islamic State (IS) supporters have been paying close attention. In the two months leading to the event, IS has increased attention to Brazil and Portuguese speaking audiences, and for the first time ever, IS propaganda is being translated to Portuguese on social media. Among these messages was a pledge to IS on behalf of Brazilian supporters, posted on social media. This activity has been accompanied by a pro-AQ Telegram channel’s ongoing calls for attacks at the Rio Olympics, which have included suggestions to use poison and weaponized drones to attack attendees and athletes.