INTELBRIEF
January 2, 2025
Devastating New Year’s Day Attack in New Orleans Linked to the Islamic State
Bottom Line Up Front
- At least 15 people were killed and around 35 injured in a vehicle-ramming attack on New Year’s Day in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
- While a furled flag associated with the Islamic State (IS) was found in the vehicle, the attacker’s connection to IS has not been officially established.
- IS has long used vehicle attacks as part of its modus operandi, having inspired extremists to conduct similar attacks in Nice, Berlin, Stockholm, and New York City over the years.
- In 2024, there was an uptick in IS-inspired plots targeting the United States with numerous attacks thwarted in the last four months.
At least 15 people were killed and around 35 injured in a vehicle-ramming attack on New Year’s Day in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Investigations are ongoing, and the motives, affiliations, and potential coordination of the attacker remain unconfirmed. However, a flag associated with the Islamic State (IS) was found attached to the vehicle used in the attack. The perpetrator, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and former U.S. Army member, appeared to possess technical expertise and strong operational security, as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered at the scene, and he was wearing full body armor. The attack occurred in the early hours of January 1, during New Year’s celebrations. Although the attacker’s connection to IS has not been officially established, 2024 saw a significant rise in thwarted IS-inspired attacks in the U.S. and a broader increase in IS-related violence worldwide. As a precaution, Wednesday night’s college football Sugar Bowl matchup between the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame has been delayed by 24 hours. In a separate incident, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in Las Vegas outside of a Trump hotel and is also being investigated as terrorism.
Investigators are reviewing video footage of three men and a woman placing explosives in the French Quarter and the FBI believes the driver of the vehicle did not act alone, although late Wednesday evening this claim was being called into question. The tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of the attack show both technical know-how and a firm grasp of operational security measures. The perpetrator used a vehicle-sharing application to rent the car and pictures of the deceased perpetrator show him wearing full body armor. Authorities and law enforcement officials were also searching his residence near Houston, Texas. Additionally, two IEDs found in the vehicle used for the ramming attack indicate some technical proficiency. However, these TTPs could also indicate coordination with others, virtually or in-person. Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent for the New Orleans FBI, said at a press conference on January 1 that the investigators did not believe that the suspect "was solely responsible.” If the attack is indeed IS-inspired, it is possible that online IS recruiters, as has been seen in previous plots in the United States, helped the perpetrator plan the attack, including supporting the creation of explosive devices. Security bollards that were intended to protect against exactly this type of attack had recently been removed from Bourbon Street for repair in advance of the Super Bowl, which New Orleans will host next month.
Several significant IS-inspired plots and attacks have been thwarted in the United States in recent months. In September, a Pakistani citizen trying to enter the United States from Canada was arrested for plotting an attack targeting a Jewish center in Brooklyn in support of the Islamic State. In October, an Afghan national, in coordination with Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) recruiters, planned a mass attack to be executed on Election Day. In mid-October, police arrested a teenager in Arizona for plotting an IS-inspired attack on the Phoenix Pride parade through an improvised drone with explosives. In November, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen in Houston was arrested for plotting a terrorist attack on local military recruiting centers and providing material support to the Islamic State, including offering his apartment as a safehouse for ISIS operatives. IS has long used vehicle attacks as part of its modus operandi, having inspired extremists to conduct similar attacks in Nice, Berlin, Stockholm, and New York City over the years.
The attack in New Orleans was celebrated among IS supporters online in various chatrooms, including among English-speaking supporters. The perpetrator was praised for his attack and the various operational security measures he employed to execute his plot successfully. Some supporters cautioned to wait for official confirmation to celebrate the attack. A majority of recent IS attacks are conducted by inspired individuals without direct IS support, indicating that digital resources are crucial in the radicalization of perpetrators as well as in providing the operational knowhow of how to conduct an attack. Various Islamic State Telegram and Rocket Chat accounts had been calling for terrorist attacks over Christmas and New Year’s Eve, as the group seeks to seize momentum heading into the new year. The attack comes as IS is surging globally, aiming to capitalize upon the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and recent attacks claimed by its affiliate in Somalia.