US Warns of Potential Similar Attacks to New Orleans Incident

On Friday, January 14, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a joint bulletin warning federal, state, and local police forces of the possibility of attacks similar to the deadly New Year's Eve incident in New Orleans. The bulletin highlighted the attractiveness of using vehicles for attackers, emphasizing that easy access to cars and the low skill required to carry out such attacks make them a desirable option for terrorists worldwide. The FBI urged police forces to pay special attention to signs of danger, including the use of fake documents to rent vehicles or suspicious activities such as parking cars in unusual locations or unusual movements near events. Simultaneously, on Friday, the FBI released three new images of Shams al-Din Jabbar, the attacker in the New Orleans incident, which were captured by surveillance cameras about an hour before the attack on Bourbon Street, and called on the public to provide any potential information about this suspect to the police. The White House also announced that President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden would travel to New Orleans on Monday to meet with families and individuals affected by this terrorist incident and discuss the attack with local officials. FBI officials announced on Thursday that Shams al-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old attacker who was killed in a shootout with the police, acted alone and was influenced by the propaganda of the terrorist group ISIS. Christopher Wray, the FBI's Deputy Director of Counterterrorism, stated that investigations have shown Jabbar had no accomplices in this attack. This attack occurred early Wednesday at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, located in the bustling tourist area of New Orleans, resulting in the deaths of 14 people. Jabbar had posted five messages on his Facebook account prior to the attack, expressing solidarity with ISIS. A flag of ISIS was also discovered in his vehicle. Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, condemned this attack and expressed condolences to the victims, promising that his administration would fully support New Orleans. The terrorist group ISIS has been using vehicles as tools for terrorist attacks since 2014, considering vehicle attacks and secondary weapon use as a means to create widespread casualties. Translation of a report by Jeff Seldin, a journalist for the English section of Voice of America.