The gunwoman who helped carry on a murderous rampage in California that killed 14 and wounded 21 had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State on Facebook, according to a U.S. official.
The New York Times first reported the news that the pledge of support, which had been allegedly removed from Facebook, was obtained by federal authorities. It is unclear how investigators were able to obtain posts which had been deleted.
An oath of allegiance, called a bayat, is often used by Islamic terrorists to declare their loyalty, the New York Times reported.
Officials have previously said that the couple took steps in the days prior to the shooting to scrub their online presence, part of a series of steps that federal authorities say point to premeditation.
The gunman in the due had previously been in contact with extremists under surveillance by terrorism officials, according to multiple news reports.