One of Philadelphia's police officers was ambushed execution-style and nearly killed by a Muslim gunman who admittedly committed the terrorist act "in the name of Islam" on Thursday.
However, instead of condemning the attack, the Democratic mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, came out with the statement, stating that Islam did not have anything to do with the crime, WND reported.
Echoing the views of Democrat presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, Kenney told reporters, "In no way, shape or form does anyone in this room believe that Islam or the teaching of Islam has anything to do with what you've seen on this screen. That is abhorrent. It's just terrible, and it does not represent the religion in any way, shape or form or any of its teachings."
Just days after the Nov. 13 Islamic terror attacks in Paris, France, Clinton spoke the same message: Killings done in the name of Islam should not be blamed on the religion.
"Let's be clear: Islam is not our adversary. Muslims are peaceful and tolerant people and have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism," Clinton said then.
In last Thursday's shooting, the suspect, Edward Archer, 30, even gave a written confession and explanation of why he tried to kill 33-year-old police offer Jesse Hartnett, police said.
Wearing a Muslim garb, Archer fired 13 rounds from a 9 millimetre handgun stolen from a police officer years ago, hitting Hartnett three times as he sat in his cruiser.
The entire incident was captured on nearby security cameras. The video footage showed Archer approaching Hartnett, who had pulled up to an intersection in his cruiser, firing at the police officer on the driver's seat while walking toward the car.
Hartnett suffered a broken arm but was still able to pull out his service weapon and return fire at the shooter, who fled the scene. He then radioed for help, leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Archer told the police officers who arrested him that he follows "Allah. I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State, and that's why I did what I did," Philly.com reported.
Philadelphia police commissioner Richard Ross confirmed Archer's assertion that he was inspired by Islam, KYVTV-3 reported Friday.
"According to him, police bend laws that are contrary to the teachings of the Quran," Ross said during a press conference on Friday.
Archer was not the only Islamic radical taken into police custody on Thursday. Two Iraq refugees were also arrested in Houston and Sacramento by lawmen on terror-related charges, WND reported.
Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, is charged with making a false statement involving international terrorism. He has lived in the the U.S. since October 2012.
Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. The Houston resident has lived in the U.S. since 2009.
Commenting on the arrests, GOP presidential candidate and Texas Senator Ted Cruz said "their apprehensions raise the immediate question: Who else is there? What are they planning next?"
