ISLAMABAD: United States (US) President Joe Biden has said that the New Orleans attacker’s social media post indicated he was inspired by Islamic State group.
In his message posted on X, the US president said, “I’ve directed my team to provide every resource necessary to support the ongoing investigation and ensure there is no remaining threat to the American people. To all the people of New Orleans who are grieving today I want you to know that I grieve with you, our nation grieves with you. We’re going to stand with you as you mourn and as you heal in the weeks to come.”
To all the people of New Orleans grieving today, our nation grieves with you.
I’ve directed my team to provide every resource necessary to support the ongoing investigation and ensure there is no remaining threat to the American people. pic.twitter.com/4TlJnJHZte
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 2, 2025
According to AP, President Biden said the New Orleans attacker had posted video on social media indicating he was inspired by the Islamic State group. Biden said the man had expressed a “desire to kill.” He said the investigation remained fluid.
According to AP, FBI says the Islamic State group flag was recovered in the vehicle used by a 42-year-old US citizen who killed at least 10 people in New Orleans.
President-elect Trump’s reaction
The president-elect Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, Wednesday, saying that immigrants were more likely to commit worse crimes than US citizens, the Independent reported.
Trump posted, “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!”
Homeland Security Committee
Meanwhile, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E Green in a statement uploaded on Committee on Homeland Security’s website, stated: “Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those killed or injured in this horrific attack. As the FBI investigates this as an act of terrorism, the Committee expects a thorough and transparent process to provide clarity on this tragedy for the families and the public. We are in contact with the FBI and DHS and have requested a briefing as we continue to seek answers and press for transparency.”
Officials called to testify
Sen Josh Hawley has asked the Senate Homeland Security Committee to call on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify after the New Orleans attack, The Hill reported.
Hawley sent a letter to incoming chairman of the committee Sen. Rand Paul, emphasizing Biden administration officials “cannot shirk public accountability” as President Biden’s term ends.
“When the 119th Congress convenes next week, and you assume leadership of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I urge you to immediately call Mayorkas and Wray to publicly testify prior to their departure from office,” Hawley said.
“Full account of attack”
Hawley wants a “full account of this attack” and any failures by their departments highlighted.
The attack was carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen, who drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street killing at least 15 and injuring dozens of others. The FBI is investigating the event as an “act of terrorism”, The Hill reported
According to AP, investigators have reviewed video of three men and a woman placing explosives in connection with the deadly car attack in New Orleans’s French Quarter. The FBI said it does not believe the driver acted alone.
Suspect dead
Suspect in New Orleans crash and shooting is dead after firefight with police, the AP quoted officials.
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION
Saudi Arabia
In a post on X, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated: The Foreign Ministry expresses Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation of the incident that took place in the city of New Orleans in the United States of America, in which a vehicle plowed into a crowd of people, leading to several deaths and injuries.
#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation of the incident that took place in the city of New Orleans in the United States of America, in which a vehicle plowed into a crowd of people, leading to several deaths and injuries. pic.twitter.com/i4rqc3eKOY
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) January 1, 2025
France
“New Orleans, so dear to the hearts of the French, has been struck by terrorism,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media platform X, posting in both French and English.
New Orleans was initially founded by colonists from France and the attack took place in the Louisiana city’s famed French Quarter.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the injured, as well as with the American people, whose sorrow we share,” Macron said.
New Orleans, so dear to the hearts of the French, has been struck by terrorism.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the injured, as well as with the American people, whose sorrow we share.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 1, 2025
European Union
“I am deeply saddened by the deliberate attack on those celebrating New Year’s in New Orleans,” the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, posted on X.
“There is no excuse for such violence… We stand in full solidarity with the victims and their families during this tragic time.”
I am deeply saddened by the deliberate attack on those celebrating New Year’s in New Orleans.
There is no excuse for such violence.
As authorities continue their investigation, we stand in full solidarity with the victims and their families during this tragic time.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 1, 2025
Turkey
“We are deeply saddened by the attack that took place in New Orleans, USA,” Turkey’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
What we know so far
The AFP reported, A US citizen drove a white Ford pickup truck flying an Islamic State flag into throngs of people celebrating the New Year in the French Quarter, the Louisiana city’s most iconic tourist district, around 3:15 am (0915 GMT), according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He crashed the vehicle, then opened fire and died in a shootout with police, who said he had driven with the aim of killing as many people as possible.
He had rented the truck on popular carsharing app Turo, authorities said.
An FBI spokesman told AFP the toll had risen to 15, citing the New Orleans coroner’s office.
The assailant shot and wounded two police officers, who were described as being in stable condition, said New Orleans police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
The FBI said it was investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism.
The FBI identified the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US Army veteran who was honorably discharged.
He served more than 10 years in the military as a human resource specialist and an IT specialist, according to the Pentagon, which said Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010.
Jabbar held a degree in computing from Georgia State University and lived in Houston, Texas, where he had worked as a real estate agent.
The FBI said it believes the suspect may have had accomplices, but gave few additional details.
