The FBI and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have warned law enforcement agencies across the country of possible copycat attacks following an ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans which killed 14 people and injured dozens more.
Two federal agencies have issued a press release highlighting the potential threat to public safety from violent extremists to some 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the US
Agencies included local police and sheriff’s departments and warned those wearing the uniforms to be very careful in case of copycat attacks following the New Orleans attack.
“The FBI and DHS are concerned about possible copycat or revenge attacks because of the persistent appeal of vehicle ramming as a tactic for ambitious violence extremist attackers“, the PSA writes. “Previous foreign terrorist organization (FTO)-inspired attackers who have carried out vehicle attacks in the United States and abroad have used rented, stolen, and personally owned vehicles, which are easy to obtain.”
BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT SAYS NEW ORLEANS TERRORISTS RAISED ‘RED FLAGS’ BEFORE THE ATTACK
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT – Security personnel investigate the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle plowed into a crowd at New Orleans Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday, January 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The PSA also noted that some of the attackers used additional weapons, such as firearms and knives, to attack individuals after the vehicle had stopped.
Others tried to hide and pre-plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in addition to the vehicle attack, the PSA added.
BOURBON STREET TERROR VICTIMS SUING NEW ORLEANS AS LOUISIANA AG INVESTIGATES SECURITY BREAKS
Family and friends set out to identify the growing number of victims after suspected terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his car into a large crowd in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
Not only were the attacks on pedestrians, but also targeted law enforcementmilitary personnel and crowded public places such as festivals and shopping malls, accessible by road.
“We ask the public to remain vigilant for possible copycat or revenge attacks and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” the federal agencies said.
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The alert does not provide a specific intelligence warning about a specific copy attack. Rather, it is a general warning for people to be aware of.
