Celebrating New Year's Attacks In New Orleans And Las Vegas, Islamic State (ISIS) Supporters Call For Lone Wolf Attacks In France, Israel, Western Countries, Highlight Other Attacks In Europe

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At around 3:15 am on January 1, 2025, on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter, a pickup truck allegedly rented by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas, rammed into revelers, killing at least 15 people and injuring 30. The attacker was killed in a shootout with police. Weapons and a possible IED were found in his vehicle, and other possible IEDs were located in the French Quarter.[1]

A black flag associated with the Islamic State (ISIS) was reportedly affixed to the truck during the attack. According to law enforcement officials, Jabbar had made a series of video recordings before the attack in which he mentioned his 2022 divorce and said he had initially planned to gather his family for a "celebration" and kill them, but then changed his plans and joined ISIS, after several dreams encouraging him to join the jihadi organization.[2]

Later the same day, a rented Tesla Cybertruck filled with fuel canisters and fireworks exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. The driver, who has not yet been named, was killed, and seven others suffered minor injuries. U.S. President Joe Biden said that law enforcement was investigating "whether there's any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans."[3]

Soon after the New Orleans attack was reported in the media, ISIS supporters hurried to celebrate the operation, speculating that the perpetrator acted on behalf of ISIS.[4] The following report will cover reactions to the attack by ISIS supporters.

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Celebrations Of New Orleans Attack, Assertions That Attacker Was ISIS "Follower"

A prominent pro-ISIS Telegram channel noted that Jabbar, who "attacked the dogs of the Cross" in New Orleans, left behind an ISIS flag reading "There is no God but Allah" after "his blessed attack."

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Another channel noted that the attack targeted "groups of people celebrating the polytheistic New Year." Quoting slain ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-'Adnani: "The monotheist is an army on his own," the channel added: "The sale [i.e. the attacker's sacrifice of his life] was profitable." The channel also noted reports of the attacker's identity, falsely claiming that Jabbar was a Pakistani citizen.

Call To Imitate Las Vegas Trump Hotel Attack With Lone Wolf Operations In Western Countries

Commenting on the attack on the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, a channel shared an archival message by Al-'Adnani, inciting lone wolf attacks in Europe, the "infidel West," and other regions.[5]

ISIS Supporter: U.S. Is Suffering "Humiliating Slaps"

Another channel commented on the attack, as well as on a recent major ISIS attack in Somalia's Puntland region[6] and U.S. airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria,[7] writing: "Analysts see that crusader America has received resounding operations and slaps in Somalia and America, while it expressed its anger by targeting sand in the Syrian desert using warplanes. What bankruptcy and what humiliating slaps."

Criticism Of Saudi Arabia For Condemning Attack, Call To Raid Arabian Peninsula

Lashing out at Saudi Arabia for condemning the New Orleans attack,[8] a channel wrote: "Soon, you will raid the Arabian Peninsula and Allah will conquer it. So prepare and get ready, o terrorizers."

The channel also criticized Saudi Arabia for condemning the attack, calling the Saudis "brothers of crusaders outside their borders" and comparing them to HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa aka Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, who "has become a brother to the Christians inside and outside Syria, in blatant violation of the principles of shari'a." The channel mocked Al-Sharaa, writing: "Maybe today Ahmed the hyena will issue a statement condemning and criticizing the terrorist act which targeted innocent, tender America."

Reports Of New Year's Attacks In Europe

In addition to commenting on the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks, pro-ISIS Telegram channels also reported other assaults in Europe. Channels noted that four people were stabbed while "celebrating the polytheistic New Year" in Villa Verucchio, in Italy's Rimini province, and the perpetrator "ascended" as a martyr after being shot by police. Global Events incorrectly reported that all four victims died.

According to media reports, the stabber was an Egyptian national.[9] A channel also reported a knife attack targeting people "celebrating the polytheistic New Year" in an unspecified location in Germany, causing injuries. According to the media, two people were wounded in Berlin's Charlottenburg district in a stabbing carried out by a Syrian national living in Sweden.[10] A channel reported that ten people were killed and others wounded in an "armed attack" in Cetinje, Montenegro, causing "a state of panic in the region," adding that the motives for the attack were unknown.

According to January 2 media reports, 12 people, including two children, were killed in a shooting by 45-year-old Aco Martinović, who had been drinking heavily all day when he got into an altercation with another guest at a restaurant. After returning to the restaurant with a gun and shooting several customers, he drove to five other locations and shot additional people, including members of his family, before killing himself after he was tracked down by police.[11]