New Orleans [US]: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Wednesday that it does not believe Shamsud Din Jabbar, the car driver responsible for the New Orleans attack, acted “solely” in the act of terrorism.
During New Year’s celebrations, Jabbar drove his vehicle into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 10 people and injuring 35 others. The suspect was discovered with an ISIS flag and several suspected explosive devices in his car, leading the FBI to classify the incident as “an act of terrorism.”
Alethea Duncan, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, emphasized the agency’s thorough investigation into the suspect’s connections. “We’re aggressively running down every lead, including those concerning Jabbar’s known associates,” she stated during a news conference.
Duncan urged the public to assist in the investigation. “If anybody has had interactions with Shamsud Din Jabbar in the last 72 hours, please contact us,” she appealed. She also encouraged individuals with information, videos, or pictures to share them with the FBI.
Notably, an ISIS flag was discovered attached to the trailer hitch of Jabbar’s vehicle. The FBI is actively investigating his potential affiliations with terrorist organizations, Duncan confirmed.
Jabbar, identified as a US citizen from Texas, had a background in the US military, officials revealed.
In an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), the FBI wrote:
“This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
US President Joe Biden condemned the attack, stating, “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump reignited debates over immigration and crime in the wake of the attack, criticizing Democrats for allegedly ignoring his warnings about criminal migration.
On Truth Social, Trump commented:
“When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”