IS flag linked to deadly attack is stark reminder dangerous extremist Islamist ideology never went away
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An Islamic State flag attached to the pickup truck used to kill and injure dozens of people in New Orleans is a grim reminder of the persistent threat posed by Islamist extremism. Investigators are rushing to understand why Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, the US citizen and army veteran who is suspected of carrying out the atrocity in the early hours of New Year's Day, appears to have been inspired by the terrorist group, also known as ISIS.
A key question will be establishing whether he was self-radicalised by the terrorist group's extreme ideology - or whether there was any kind of direction or enabling from actual IS members or other radicalised individuals. The FBI initially said they did not believe the man, who was killed in a shootout with police after ploughing his rental truck into his victims in one of the United States' worst acts of terrorism, had acted alone.
Latest updates on New Orleans attack. But President Joe Biden later said that the "situation is very fluid", and with the investigation continuing, "no one should jump to conclusions". He also revealed that the suspect had posted videos on social media mere hours before the attack indicating that he "was inspired by ISIS".
New Orleans truck attack: Married twice and a US army veteran - what we know about suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar. New Orleans eyewitnesses describe carnage of attack. New Orleans attack: What we know so far after vehicle ploughed into crowd killing 15. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
. Whatever caused Jabbar to commit such carnage, his murderous rampage and the use of the IS flag underline the danger still posed by extremist Islamist ideology five years after the physical dismantling of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
