Ohio attacker had 'no direct terror links'

The Somali student who plowed his car into a crowd and slashed several people with a knife in Ohio had no ties to terror groups, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said yesterday.

Although Abdul Razak Ali Artan professed support for radical Islamists on his Facebook page and an Islamic State-linked news agency claimed he was an IS "soldier," Johnson said the probe had not thus far revealed any direct communications between Artan and such groups. He said Artan was self-radicalised.

On Monday, the Somali immigrant, a new Ohio State University student, injured 11 people before he was shot dead by a university security officer. On Tuesday the IS-linked news agency Amaq said the rampage was inspired by IS calls to action.