Van Attack in New Orleans; Biden Says Attacker Was Inspired by ISIS

The President of the United States announced hours after a van attack on a large crowd in New Orleans that left at least 15 dead, that the driver was inspired by ISIS. Joe Biden stated on Wednesday evening, January 1, that the FBI had found videos in which the suspect had expressed his desire to kill prior to the attack on social media. Reports indicate that a van sped into a large crowd on Bourbon Street in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans in the early hours of Wednesday. Eyewitnesses reported that the driver exited the vehicle after stopping and opened fire on the crowd, which was met with a police response and return fire. The FBI has classified the incident as a potential terrorist act. In his speech on Wednesday evening, Biden described the attack as 'heinous' and 'criminal,' expressing condolences to the people of New Orleans and the victims' families, stating, 'I want you to know that I mourn with you. Our nation stands with you and grieves with you.' Biden emphasized in a previous written statement that the United States would not tolerate such acts and would not allow its citizens to be targeted. This attack is the latest instance of an assailant using a vehicle as a weapon against people and is considered the deadliest ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil in recent years. Initially, U.S. officials reported 10 fatalities, but this number has since risen to 15, with reports indicating that up to 30 others were injured. The driver, identified by the FBI as Shamsuddin Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas, was killed at the scene in an exchange of gunfire with police. Officials stated he may have collaborated with others in this act. Jabbar joined the U.S. Army in 2007 and worked in human resources and information technology. He served 11 months in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010 and was a member of the Army Reserve from 2015 until his service ended in summer 2020. He was a contractor for a large U.S. government group. Reports indicate that in 2022, while filing for divorce, he described his financial situation as 'bad,' citing delays in repaying $27,000 in home purchase installments and $16,000 in credit card debt, despite having a monthly income of $10,000 at that time. Jabbar held an accounting degree from Georgia Southern University and also worked as a real estate consultant in Houston, Texas. The FBI stated that an ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, and investigations into possible connections with terrorist organizations are ongoing. It was also reported that the vehicle was likely rented. Altia Duncan, an FBI special agent, stated at a press conference, 'We do not believe Jabbar acted alone. We are vigorously pursuing all leads, including individuals associated with him.' Investigators found weapons and a potential explosive device in the vehicle, and additional explosives were discovered in the French Quarter area. According to Duncan, two explosive devices have been neutralized. Bourbon Street, where the attack occurred, is a major tourist and entertainment hub in New Orleans, typically crowded with people on New Year's Eve. This attack took place in the late hours of the New Year celebration and just hours before the start of the Allstate Bowl American football game. This attack comes on the heels of a similar incident on December 21, where a vehicle plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, resulting in five deaths and over 200 injuries. This incident drew reactions from political figures in Germany and other countries. The suspect arrested in that attack was a 50-year-old man named Talib Jawad Abdul Mohsen from Saudi Arabia, known as an anti-Islam activist on social media, who had posted content supporting Germany's far-right party.