The Islamic State paid tribute to the man who killed 14 people when he rammed a truck into a busy New Orleans street early in the New Year, the group saying in a digital newsletter dated Thursday that his online propaganda inspired the attack.
The group said the attacker who ran over pedestrians walking on Bourbon Street had been “influenced by the discourse and messages of the Islamic State.” but his message does not go so far as to claim responsibility.
The newsletter, obtained by the Counter Extremism Project, a terrorism watchdog, appears to mock U.S. media outlets for “holding their breath” waiting for ISIS to claim responsibility for the attack.
Although the ISIS post does not directly mention New Orleans, it describes an attack by an American and references Meta glasses. The FBI said the attacker, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, I wore Meta glasses. And the counter-extremism project said the ISIS message referred to the New Orleans attack.
The truck driven by Mr. Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas, carried 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 the terrorist group.
Authorities have denied that Mr. Jabbar had active ties to the terrorist group, but the FBI said he was “100 percent inspired by ISIS.”
It is unclear what online content Mr. Jabbar may have consumed before the attack, but ISIS produces weekly newsletters as part of a sophisticated media operation that keeps its far-flung factions connected.
Experts believe this latest claim is unusual for the group.
“Unlike other attacks in the past, where ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, in this case the group said the attacker was inspired by ISIS propaganda messages , but does not claim to have a direct relationship,” Joshua said. Fisher-Birch, researcher at the Counter Extremism Project.
The IS statement’s emphasis on the importance of people translating and sharing IS content, Fisher-Birch said, “speaks to efforts to continue disseminating the group’s official messages and unofficial propaganda efforts by supporters.”
He added that the article clearly called for future attacks during events and holidays.
Aaron Boxerman, Neil MacFarquhar And Alissa J. Rubin reports contributed.
