ISIS claims to have inspired the attack on New Orleans, but has not claimed responsibility
Islamic State praised a man who killed 14 people when he drove his truck into a busy New Orleans street early on New Year’s Day, and the group claimed in a digital bulletin Thursday that its online propaganda inspired the attack.
The group said the attacker who ran over pedestrians walking along Bourbon Street was “under the influence of Islamic State discourse and messaging.” but his message did not take responsibility.
The bulletin, obtained by the Counter Extremism Project, a terrorism watchdog, appears to mock the US media for “holding its breath” while they wait for ISIS to claim responsibility for the attack.
Although the ISIS message did not directly mention New Orleans, it described the attack by an American and mentioned Meta glasses. The FBI said the gunman, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, wore Meta glasses. and the counter-extremism project said the ISIS message was about the attack on New Orleans.
The truck driven by Mr. Jabbar, a 42-year-old US Army veteran from Texas, was flying an ISIS flag. Mr Jabbar, who was killed in a shootout with New Orleans police, also left a chilling recorded message for his family, telling them he had joined a terrorist group.
Authorities denied that Mr. Jabbar had active ties to the terror group, but the FBI said he was “100 percent inspired by ISIS.”
It is not clear what internet content Mr. Jabbar may have consumed before the attack, but ISIS produces weekly newsletters as part of a sophisticated media operation linking its far-flung factions.
Experts say this latest claim is unusual for the group.
“Unlike other attacks in the past, where ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, in this case, the group said the attacker was inspired by ISIS propaganda messages, but does not claim they had a direct connection,” said Joshua Fisher- Birch, a researcher at the Counter-Extremism Project.
The emphasis in the ISIS statement on the importance of people translating and sharing ISIS content, said Mr. Fisher-Birch, “discusses efforts to continue spreading the group’s official messages and unofficial propaganda efforts undertaken by supporters.”
He added that the article includes a clear call for future attacks during events and holidays.
Aaron Boxerman, Neil MacFarquhar and Alyssa J. Rubin contributed reporting.
