On the 1st of January, the state of Louisiana went through a horrific terrorist attack after a man plowed his truck into a crowd at Bourbon and Canal streets in New Orleans. The terrorist attack claimed the life of 10 and made more than 35 seriously injured. The Investigative agencies have come up to reveal some of the shocking details regarding the case. The High-level local law enforcement officials and media reports have confirmed the identity of the New Orleans attacker. The suspect has been identified as 42 year old Shamsud Din Jabbar. An ISIS flag was also recovered from the vehicle used in the Bourbon Street attack which brings the ISIS angle into the tragic incident.
A Glock handgun and .308 caliber rifle equipped with optics and a sensor were also recovered from the crime scene and there are also reports of explosives in an ice chest in the attackers truck too.
The FBI mentioned “An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.”
“Weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Other potential IEDs were also located. The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable and they will work to render those devices safe” it further added.
The 42 year old terrorist was shot dead in a counter fight with the cops. “The 42-year-old, who was identified by law enforcement sources, was shot and killed in a firefight with cops just moments after he plowed into crowds on the famed Bourbon Street just after 3 a.m. leaving 10 dead and 35 injured,” New York Post reported.
Jabbar has been reported to be a US citizen and grew up in Texas. It is also indicated that Jabbar served in the military for ten years. Earlier Pro-ISIS media outlets had called on Islamists living in the U.S. and Europe to conduct attacks on New Year’s Eve. These calls to arms have been common in the last decade as terror groups wish to incite violent extremists to action during the holiday season.
This attack highlights the growing threat of vehicle-based terrorism. A recent example occurred in Magdeburg, Germany, where a Saudi doctor drove into a Christmas market, killing five.