New Orleans attacker had Daesh terror group flag in vehicle, confirms FBI
FBI investigators arrive at the scene where the white Ford F-150 pickup truck that crashed into a work lift after allegedly driving into a crowd of New Year's revelers in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Jan. 1, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen, and army veteran, was identified as the man who drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans on Wednesday, carrying a flag associated with the Daesh terror group, the FBI confirmed.
“An Daesh flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” the FBI said in a statement.
Suspect is US army veteran, FBI says
Meanwhile, “What I can tell you is that the person was an army veteran, we believe he was honorably discharged but we are working through this process to figure out all this information,” said FBI special agent Alethea Duncan at a press conference.
Jabbar killed at least 10 people and injured dozens more before being shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. Homemade bombs were discovered in his truck and in various locations around New Orleans’ French Quarter, according to the FBI.
IEDs found and rendered safe
FBI special agent Duncan confirmed, “As of now, two IEDs have been found and rendered safe,” referring to the improvised explosive devices located in the wake of the attack.
Authorities continue to investigate Jabbar’s connections. “We are aggressively running down all leads to identify any possible associates of the subject,” the FBI added, emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing to determine any potential terrorist affiliations.
Multiple weapons, alongside a possible improvised explosive device, were found inside Jabbar’s truck. Bomb technicians also located additional devices throughout the French Quarter and were working to render them safe.
‘No justification for violence’
Earlier, President Joe Biden expressed his deep concern about the incident, stating that he had been continuously briefed by senior law enforcement and national security officials throughout the morning.
“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind,” Biden said in his statement.
Biden expressed sympathy for the victims and their families, who had gathered to celebrate the holiday, emphasizing, “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Additionally, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the incident as a “terrorist attack” during a news conference.
