San Bernardino shooter allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS' leader on Facebook
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The post was apparently written on Facebook under a different name, according to CNN's sources.
Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi noted on Twitter that ISIS has "made clear that those wishing to act in its name need to swear allegiance" before an attack is carried out.
Investigators still have not determined a conclusive motive for the Wednesday attack on the Inland Regional Center, a county facility that provides services to the disabled.
Syed Rizwan Farook, a 28-year-old US citizen, and Malik, his 27-year-old wife, killed 14 people in the shooting and injured at least 21 others. They died in a shootout with police.
Investigators believe the attack was likely inspired by ISIS (also known as ISIL and the Islamic State), but not ordered by or coordinated directly with the terrorist group, according to CNN. ISIS' central leadership has not claimed credit for the attack. The news network's sources did not explain how Malik wrote the Facebook post in support of Baghdadi.
Officials told the Times that "in the days leading up to the shooting, the couple took several steps to delete their electronic information, in an apparent effort to cover their tracks."
One law-enforcement official told CNN that the attackers look to have been "self-radicalized." Another source said the investigation is focusing on a workplace issue about religion more than the apparent ISIS connection.
Malik moved to California with Farook in 2014 and was living in the US under a K-1 visa with a Pakistani passport, said David Bowdich, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles bureau.
CNN and other news outlets reported Thursday that Farook was in touch with extremists who were being investigated by the FBI for terrorism links. Local police officials said at a press conference on Thursday that Farook was not on their radar for terrorism.
Farook is thought to have traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2013 for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. He reportedly met Malik, a native of Pakistan, on that trip. He then reportedly traveled to Pakistan in 2014 and returned to the US with Malik.
Farook was born in Illinois to Pakistani parents, The Times reports. He worked at the San Bernardino County health department for five years. The shooting occurred during a holiday party for the agency.
At Farook and Malik's home, authorities found "several hundred" .22-caliber long-rifle rounds, 12 "pipe bomb-type devices," "hundreds of tools, many of which could be used to construct IEDs or pipe bombs," 2,000 9 mm rounds, and 2,500 .223-caliber rounds of ammunition.
At the Inland Regional Center, the couple was reportedly armed with four guns: two semiautomatic handguns and two .223-caliber assault rifles, all of which were purchased legally. They also had 1,400 .223-caliber rounds and 200 9 mm rounds on them as they were pursued by police, officials said.