Southeast
More Islamist terror is coming. We are woefully unprepared
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Al Qaeda first attacked the World Trade Center in 1993 with a car bomb in the underground garage. Americans heard about the attack on the evening news and then went out to McDonald’s for a burger and fries.
It was like the 911 operator called us and we put them on hold. Less than ten years later, the 9/11 attacks left 3,000 Americans dead.
We can’t make the same mistake. Even with the limited evidence we have so far, we know we have experienced a deadly, major synchronized Islamist terror attack on U.S. soil designed to send a message and inflict as many bloody casualties as possible. There is no reason why they can’t try that or worse again.
For a lot of reasons, there is cause to believe we have set ourselves up for the next Islamist campaign against America. Here are four.
NEW ORLEANS TERROR SUSPECT’S BROTHER SAYS ATTACK IS SIGN OF ‘RADICALIZATION’: REPORT
First, ISIS and others are back. Biden’s humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan reignited the hope that America really was the paper tiger that Usama Bin Laden claimed we were. He followed that with feckless policies in the Middle East and North Africa that gave both opportunities to rebuild and recruit and fed a global narrative that it was time to rise up and strike again.
Next, open borders are a death sentence. It doesn’t matter if the Vegas or New Orleans threats crossed over from Mexico or not. Biden has created an unprecedented vulnerability with porous borders and unlimited illegal migration that leaves us more vulnerable today than we were on 9/11. An unprecedented number of individuals on the terrorist watch list have entered the U.S. under the Biden presidency. This administration’s policies have handed the terrorists too many options.
U.S. THREAT LANDSCAPE, DOMESTIC EXTREMISM POSE A DAUNTING—BUT FAMILIAR— TEST FOR TRUMP’S SECOND TERM
Third, we have demobilized our counterterrorism efforts. Pretty much every instrument we established since 9/11 has been diverted, distracted, disabled or dismissed under Biden. We all know Biden’s top priorities for intelligence and law enforcement. They include persecuting his political enemies; protecting his family; investigating misdemeanors committed on January 6; surveilling school board meetings; meeting diversity, equity and climate goals; suppressing free speech; and demonizing conservatives at every opportunity.
We didn’t just take our eyes off the ball. We walked off the court.
Finally, Russia, China, and Iran are not our friends. Every round of global terrorism has had some measure of state sponsorship or support. Today, we can expect no different.
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Beijing, Tehran, and Moscow know that Trump is going to take his heavy hand off the Bible in a few weeks and lay a meaty fist on them. They will be scrambling for underhanded ways to push back. Terrorism will be one of them. In fact, they are already doing this. Russia contracted for terrorist attacks in Germany. China dumped Israel on October 7. Iran has put out hit contracts on Americans.
We didn’t just take our eyes off the ball. We walked off the court.
Because of this administration’s weakness, today’s terrorists don’t try to think “outside the box.” They already have more deadly toys than could fit in Santa’s sleigh. The attack in New Orleans demonstrated the use of common and proven terrorist tactics that we have seen plenty of in recent years from Europe to the Middle East to North Africa. The handbook of terrorist tools is tried and proven. We can expect more of the same.
Today’s terrorists, however, can and are already starting to draw on proven modern battlefield tactics, often using dual-use technology with civilian and military applications that are being innovated in places like Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa. We have already seen, for example, attempted attacks on energy infrastructure and the use of drones. Just like the way car bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made their way from combat situations to terror attacks, other means to create murder and mayhem could soon be coming to a community near you.
How do we stop them? By using our counterterrorism capabilities the way they were intended—not the knee-jerk response of the Bush years or the measured indifference under Obama, but the sensible, practical, and responsible actions taken during Trump’s first term that took us from lights blinking red to giving ISIS lights out.
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Southeast
Bomb-making materials found at New Orleans Airbnb potentially tied to Bourbon Street terrorist: report
Bomb-making materials were reportedly found at a New Orleans Airbnb, as authorities investigate a possible connection to the truck-ramming terror attack that killed at least 15 people and injured over 30 others on Bourbon Street during a New Year’s celebration.
A small fire broke out at a suspected Airbnb property located in the 1300 block of Mandeville Street in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The New Orleans Fire Department evacuated dozens of people from nearby homes and contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FOX 8 reported.
Bomb-making materials were discovered at the property, sources confirmed to the outlet.
The FBI confirmed at a news conference Thursday that FBI and ATF agents have secured that house on Mandeville Street and “that location is being searched for potential evidence.” Two laptops were recovered from that address, the FBI said, and an additional three cell phones linked to the now-deceased suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, were being analyzed by investigators.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK
At Thursday’s news conference, ATF said that the Mandeville address is still being processed and the ATF national response team – comprised of certified fire investigators, explosives specialists, fire engineers and electrical engineers – were still working additional leads to help identify how the fire started the morning the attack unfolded across town on Bourbon Street.
Fox News Digital reached out to the listed owner of the Airbnb rental but did not immediately hear back.
“They said they found bomb-making material in the yellow house and wanted the bomb squad to look it over,” Bob Koenig, a neighbor, told FOX 8 on Wednesday.
After Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, drove a Ford pick-up truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time New Year’s Day, the FBI began investigating the matter as an “act of terrorism.” In addition to crashing into the crowd, Jabbar exited the vehicle and fired on law enforcement, who returned fire, and the suspect was declared dead at the scene, according to the bureau.
BOURBON STREET ATTACK ON NEW YEAR’S REVELERS JUST THE LATEST CASE OF TERRORISTS USING TRUCKS TO KILL
An ISIS flag, weapons and a potential improvised explosive device (IED) were found in the vehicle, and other potential IEDs were found in the French Quarter, the FBI said.
After initially suspecting accomplices could be involved, the FBI said Thursday that the bureau now believes Jabbar acted alone.
The FBI denied any link to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas that took place Wednesday morning.
In Las Vegas early Wednesday, a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel, killing the driver and sole occupant inside and injuring at least seven others nearby.
“As you know, there’s also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling anything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Christopher Raia told reporters.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to remove photos and information attributed to a neighbor at Jabbar’s home in Houston. It can be found here.
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Southeast
New Orleans attack: Investigation continues, as FBI says no other suspects involved
The FBI on Thursday said investigators now believe the New Orleans terror attack suspect acted alone, despite previously considering a possible link to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside President-elect Trump’s Las Vegas hotel.
The FBI made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday. They have identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the driver who crashed a rented truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. He was killed in a shootout with police afterward.
“As you know, there’s also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling anything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Christopher Raia told reporters Thursday.
Authorities had been investigating a potential military connection between Jabbar and the Las Vegas suspect, who law enforcement identified to The Associated Press as Matthew Livelsberger.
Supporting the FBI’s updated assessment, a U.S. defense official told Fox News on Thursday that there is no evidence from their military service to make any connection that the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas incident were related.
Both Jabbar and Livelsberger served at Fort Liberty — formerly known as Fort Bragg — in North Carolina, but a U.S. official said there was no overlap to their assignments there. They served at the same base, but at different times. And for context, more than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently stationed at Fort Liberty.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill previously told Fox News that there is evidence that Jabbar worked alongside accomplices to coordinate the attack. The FBI told Fox News later Thursday that they no longer believe other suspects were involved in the attack, which killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens of others.
Authorities say Jabbar considered killing his friends and family prior to the attack, but decided against it because he thought it would have less of an impact.
Jabbar had posted videos to social media prior to his attack expressing allegiance to the Islamic State. Investigators say Jabbar rented the truck used in the attack on Monday in Houston and then drove to New Orleans on Tuesday.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
“FBI special agents and our law enforcement partners are currently conducting a number of court-authorized search warrants in New Orleans and other states,” the bureau said in a statement. “The FBI’s Evidence Response Team continues to process the crime scene to meticulously gather all relevant evidence.”
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK
Investigators found guns in Jabbar’s vehicle and two improvised explosive devices inside coolers elsewhere in the French Quarter. The FBI says it obtained footage of Jabbar placing the two devices.
Police also recovered guns and two laptops that they believe belong to Jabbar.
The FBI told congressional lawmakers on Thursday that it had zero information about Jabbar prior to his attack. They also said that while Jabbar has said he was “inspired” by ISIS, investigators have not found any evidence that he was directed by ISIS.
New Orleans hospitals treated a total of 37 victims who were injured in Wednesday’s attack. LCMC Health has not stated how many of those injured have since been discharged, nor has it clarified the condition of those still hospitalized.
Jabbar, a U.S. native born in Texas, had previously served in the U.S. military. Authorities are still investigating how and when he became radicalized.
Jabbar served in the Army as a Human Resource Specialist and Information Technology (IT) Specialist from March 2007 until January 2015.
OFFICIALS POSTPONE SUGAR BOWL IN THE WAKE OF APPARENT TERROR ATTACK ON BOURBON STREET
Following active duty, he served in the Army Reserves as an IT Specialist from January 2015 until July 2020.
During his tenure, he deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.
After leaving the military, Jabbar obtained a job at Deloitte, earning a salary of roughly $120,000 per year. He ran into financial struggles following two divorces, however.
Authorities searched an AirBnB in New Orleans believed to be connected to Jabbar. They also executed a search warrant at his main residence in Houston.
Relatives of Jabbar said he had been acting erratically in recent months. Dwayne Marsh, the husband of Jabbar’s ex-wife, said they stopped allowing his wife’s shared daughters to spend time with Jabbar, according to The New York Times.
The attack led authorities to postpone the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night. The sporting event is now scheduled to take place on Thursday night, though some officials have called for the event to be delayed further.
NOTRE DAME CALLS ON FANS TO ‘JOIN US IN PRAYER’ FOLLOWING APPARENT TERROR ATTACK AHEAD OF SUGAR BOWL
Meanwhile, President-elect Trump called on the CIA to get involved in the investigation, blasting Jabbar as “violent scum” and the current administration as “incompetent and corrupt.”
His statement came after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. It remains unclear whether the bombing, which killed one person who was inside the vehicle, is linked to the New Orleans attack. Authorities are investigating a possible military connection between Jabbar and the suspect in the Las Vegas case.
The FBI is conducting sweeps of potential residences in Las Vegas as well as Denver in relation to the Trump Hotel bombing.
“Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership. The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself,” Trump wrote on social media.
“Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to our Country. The CIA must get involved, NOW, before it is too late. The USA is breaking down – A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it. See you on January 20th. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he added.
Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.
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Southeast
Superdome welcomes Sugar Bowl fans after New Orleans terror attack
College football fans flocked to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday afternoon to get into the stadium ahead of the Sugar Bowl after it was postponed over a terror attack.
More than a dozen people were killed, and several more were injured, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the wee hours of New Year’s Day, officials said. The terror attack forced the postponement of the game between Georgia and Notre Dame.
While some fans decided to go back home instead of attending the game, others were seen getting into the grounds around the Superdome and going through security.
Authorities opened Bourbon Street hours before the game.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he was going to attend the game.
“Security is going to be tight,” he said in an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “We have all confidence that we’re gonna put this game on. The Superdome is completely secure. Again, the FBI continues to pour resources into the state.”
NOTRE DAME’S MARCUS FREEMAN TALKS TEAM MEETING AFTER SUGAR BOWL POSTPONED FOLLOWING TERROR ATTACK
Sugar Bowl officials said that pregame pageantry will begin at 2:15 p.m. CT with kickoff set for 3 p.m. CT. The pageantry starts with the national anthem, a Sugar Bowl light show and then performances by each school’s marching band.
“We remain stunned and saddened by the New Year’s Day tragedy in New Orleans,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a post on X.
“We are also grateful for the work of so many to adjust and adapt to make a football game possible today for @GeorgiaFootball and @NDFootball.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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