Among other things you might be missing are the reports that Iraqi intelligence had warned Western governments shortly before the attacks that they had information, non-specific as to the target, of attacks ordered in one or more Western nations involved in anti-IS operations by the IS to be carried out imminently. [0] Its not that attacks like this <i>could not</i> be carried out locally without a remote command, its that there are reports of specific information indicating that this <i>was not</i> carried out locally without a remote command.<p>[0] e.g., <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.haaretz.com&#x2F;world-news&#x2F;1.686257" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.haaretz.com&#x2F;world-news&#x2F;1.686257</a>