A horrific incident occurred on New Year’s Day in New Orleans when a 42-year-old US citizen named Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a Ford pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. The FBI identified Jabbar as a former army veteran with links to the Islamic State (IS) group. Police described the attack as an act of terrorism and found an IS flag in the attacker’s vehicle.
Authorities are now searching for possible accomplices, following leads that suggest Jabbar may not have acted alone. President Joe Biden condemned the attack, stating that Jabbar had expressed inspiration from IS in online videos prior to the incident. The FBI is conducting search warrants in New Orleans and other states, indicating a widespread investigation.
In a separate incident, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump in Las Vegas, killing one person. While authorities are probing any possible links between the two events, no connections have been found at this time. Trump criticized law enforcement agencies for their handling of the situation, calling for stronger leadership to protect Americans.
World leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have condemned the attack, expressing sympathies for the victims and their families. The Chinese government also expressed shock at the violence, denouncing terrorism targeting civilians. The FBI continues to investigate the New Orleans tragedy, with a focus on uncovering any additional suspects involved in the heinous act.
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