Massive SWAT Response in Chicago After 'Bearded Men' in Van With Temporary Plates Claim They Are ‘With ISIS’

When two men drove around Chicago Wednesday night claiming to be members of the Islamic State, police responded with a heavy SWAT presence — but police are telling the public that it was "probably" a hoax.

According to CBS Chicago, the "two bearded" men were cruising downtown Chicago in a white van with temporary plates. SWAT teams tried to stop the vehicle, but it quickly sped away.

The CBS outlet reported that police and SWAT team members "buzzed the area" but were unable to locate the suspects

Police later said they believe the men "were probably just joking around," CBS reported

Despite law enforcement's statement that the threat may have been a hoax, CBS Chicago security consultant Ross Rice said that "common sense" tells people they shouldn't make false threats, especially threats as serious as these.

"You can’t make false threats," Rice said. "You can’t claim there’s a bomb on a plane. You can’t go up and down the street yelling you’re ISIS. It just doesn’t work."

The nation has been on high alert this week, following last Friday's terror attacks in Paris, which were carried out by the Islamic State.

In the days following, the Islamic State released a new propaganda video that depicted a militant creating a suicide bomb, followed by footage of New York City's Time Square and Herald Square.

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