President Joe Biden condemned what he called a “despicable” act and said investigators were looking into whether there might be a link to a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. So far there was no evidence linking the two events, Biden said.
“The FBI also reported to me that hours before the attack he posted videos on social media indicating he's inspired by Isis, expressing the desire to kill,” Biden said of the New Orleans suspect.
CNN, citing officials briefed about the investigation, said the suspect recorded videos in which he mentioned dreams about joining Isis and contemplated killing his family after a divorce.
Isis, also called Islamic State or ISIL, is a Muslim militant group that imposed a reign of terror over millions in Iraq and Syria until it collapsed after a sustained military campaign by a US-led coalition.
Weakened in the field, Isis has continued to recruit sympathisers online, experts said.
Public records showed Jabbar worked in real estate in Houston. In a promotional video posted four years ago, Jabbar described himself as born and reared in Beaumont, a city about 130km east of Houston, and said he spent 10 years in the US military as a human resources and IT specialist.
Jabbar was in the regular army from March 2007 until January 2015 and then in the army reserve from January 2015 until July 2020, an army spokesperson said. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service.
Mike and Kimberly Strickland of Mobile, Alabama, said they were in New Orleans for a bluegrass concert and heading back to their hotel metres from where the truck hit pedestrians.
“There were people everywhere,” Kimberly said.
“You heard a squeal, the rev of the engine and a loud impact and then the people screaming and debris, the sound of crunching metal and bodies.”
About 400 officers were on duty in the French Quarter at the time of the incident, including a number who had established a makeshift barrier to prevent anyone from driving into the pedestrian zone, police said.
In response to vehicle attacks on pedestrian malls around the world, New Orleans was removing and replacing steel barriers known as bollards that restrict vehicle traffic in the Bourbon Street area.
Construction was due to be completed in time for the Super Bowl. As a temporary measure, police vehicles and officers attempted to provide a barrier, Kirkpatrick said.
“We did have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it.”
Reuters
Driver flying Isis flag rams into New Orleans crowd, killing 15: he may have had help
Image: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
A US army veteran flying an Isis flag from his truck swerved around makeshift barriers and ploughed into New Orleans' crowded French Quarter on New Year's Day, killing 15 people in an attack officials said may have been carried out with the help of others.
The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas who served in Afghanistan, was killed in a shoot-out with police after ramming into the crowd.
The attack injured about 30 other people, including two police officers wounded by gunfire from the suspect. It took place about 3.15am near the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets, a historic tourist destination known for its music and bars where crowds were celebrating the New Year.
Police and political leaders vowed to capture any accomplices.
Police found weapons and a potential explosive device in the vehicle, while two potential explosive devices were found in the French Quarter and rendered safe, the FBI said.
With the perceived danger ongoing, officials postponed the Sugar Bowl, a classic college football game played in New Orleans every year on New Year's Day. The game between Notre Dame and Georgia was put off until Thursday afternoon while police swept parts of the city looking for possible explosive devices and converged on neighbourhoods in search of clues.
The city will also host the NFL Super Bowl on February 9.
An Isis flag was attached to a staff protruding from the trailer hitch of the rented vehicle, prompting an investigation into possible links to terrorist organisations, the FBI said.
“We do not believe Jabbar was solely responsible. We are running down every lead, including those of his known associates,” FBI assistant special agent in charge Alethea Duncan told reporters, adding investigators were looking into a “range of suspects”.
The victims included the mother of a four-year-old who recently moved into a new apartment after getting a promotion at work, a New York financial employee and accomplished student athlete who was visiting home for the holidays and an 18-year-old aspiring nurse from Mississippi.
President Joe Biden condemned what he called a “despicable” act and said investigators were looking into whether there might be a link to a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. So far there was no evidence linking the two events, Biden said.
“The FBI also reported to me that hours before the attack he posted videos on social media indicating he's inspired by Isis, expressing the desire to kill,” Biden said of the New Orleans suspect.
CNN, citing officials briefed about the investigation, said the suspect recorded videos in which he mentioned dreams about joining Isis and contemplated killing his family after a divorce.
Isis, also called Islamic State or ISIL, is a Muslim militant group that imposed a reign of terror over millions in Iraq and Syria until it collapsed after a sustained military campaign by a US-led coalition.
Weakened in the field, Isis has continued to recruit sympathisers online, experts said.
Public records showed Jabbar worked in real estate in Houston. In a promotional video posted four years ago, Jabbar described himself as born and reared in Beaumont, a city about 130km east of Houston, and said he spent 10 years in the US military as a human resources and IT specialist.
Jabbar was in the regular army from March 2007 until January 2015 and then in the army reserve from January 2015 until July 2020, an army spokesperson said. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service.
Mike and Kimberly Strickland of Mobile, Alabama, said they were in New Orleans for a bluegrass concert and heading back to their hotel metres from where the truck hit pedestrians.
“There were people everywhere,” Kimberly said.
“You heard a squeal, the rev of the engine and a loud impact and then the people screaming and debris, the sound of crunching metal and bodies.”
About 400 officers were on duty in the French Quarter at the time of the incident, including a number who had established a makeshift barrier to prevent anyone from driving into the pedestrian zone, police said.
In response to vehicle attacks on pedestrian malls around the world, New Orleans was removing and replacing steel barriers known as bollards that restrict vehicle traffic in the Bourbon Street area.
Construction was due to be completed in time for the Super Bowl. As a temporary measure, police vehicles and officers attempted to provide a barrier, Kirkpatrick said.
“We did have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it.”
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Latest Videos
Most Read
News
News
News
News
News