FBI now claims New Orleans attacker acted alone
Earlier, the agency had suggested that the attacker may have carried out the attack with accomplices.
Scene of the terrorist attack in New Orleans.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates that Shamsud-Din Jabbar (42), the Islamic terrorist who killed 15 people and wounded 35 others in New Orleans on Jan. 1, acted alone.
Jabbar intentionally ran over a crowd with a van in which he was carrying weapons, a possible improvised explosive device and a flag of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS). The attacker was later killed in a shootout with police.
Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, said, "Let me be very clear about this point, this was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act."
"We do not assess at this point … that anyone else is involved in this attack," he added.
The official further stated that the FBI was confident that the attacker had no accomplices.
Earlier, the FBI suggested that the bomber may not have acted alone.
Was Jabbar linked to ISIS?
Raia further maintained that Jabbar had posted videos prior to the attack in which he expressed support for ISIS.
The official added that the attacker claimed to have joined ISIS a few months ago, although his relationship to the terrorist group is unclear.
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