Amaq is often the "first point of publication for claims of responsibility" for terrorist attacks in Western countries by the Islamic State.

[2] Among the founders of Amaq was Syrian journalist Baraa Kadek, who joined IS in late 2013,[3] Abu Muhammad al-Furqan, and seven others who originally worked for Halab News Network.

[9] On 31 May 2017, a Facebook post announced Amaq's founder, Baraa Kadek AKA Rayan Meshaal, had been killed with his daughter by an American airstrike on Mayadin.

[13] In June 2017, German police arrested a 23-year-old Syrian man identified only as Mohammed G., accusing him of communicating with the alleged perpetrator of the 2016 Malmö Muslim community centre arson in order to report to Amaq.

[1] According to Rukmini Callimachi in The New York Times: "Despite a widespread view that the Islamic State opportunistically claims attacks with which it has little genuine connection, its track record—minus a handful of exceptions—suggests a more rigorous protocol.

At times, the Islamic State has got details wrong, or inflated casualty figures, but the gist of its claims is typically correct."

[14] Graeme Wood writing in The Atlantic in October 2017, wrote "The idea that the Islamic State simply scans the news in search of mass killings, then sends out press releases in hope of stealing glory, is false.

Amaq may learn details of the attacks from mainstream media … but its claim of credit typically flows from an Amaq-specific source.