The radical shift of the New Orleans terrorist serves as a wake-up call for all Americans: "ISIS and others are back"

In New Orleans on January 1, 2025, a 42-year-old Texas consultant named Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove through a crowd of New Year's revelers while flying an ISIS flag from the hitch of his rented pickup, killing 14 and injuring another 30.

Jabbar, while driving 350 miles from Houston to New Orleans, recorded selfie videos pledging his loyalty to ISIS and stating that he initially intended to murder his loved ones but ultimately decided to target innocent people to increase the public's awareness of a "struggle between the faithful and the unfaithful," as per the FBI's account.

A U.S. Army veteran, who had a successful job at a major consulting firm, allegedly attacked civilians with IEDs and firearms, despite being radicalized in just weeks. Authorities are warning of the danger of lone wolf attacks and their deadly consequences, as New Orleans officials work to enhance security after a ramming attack on Bourbon Street.

""Experts warn that ISIS and others are back, as Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan has reignited the belief that America is a paper tiger, as Usama Bin Laden once claimed," James Jay Carafano wrote in a recent Planet Chronicle op-ed."

Despite the destruction of the "territorial caliphate" of a shockingly violent group during the first Trump administration, its propagandists continue to radicalize potential terrorists, as Jabbar declared in one of his videos that he had joined ISIS before this summer, FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia told reporters in a news briefing.

"The threats from international, domestic, and state-sponsored terrorism are intricate and ongoing, and notably, they are all happening at the same time," Raia stated. "We are constantly confronted with dangers from foreign terrorist groups, extremist organizations with varying ideologies, and criminals who seek to inflict violence on the United States."

Jabbar made two trips in 2023, one to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, and another to Ontario, Canada, on July 10. The FBI said during a press conference that it is investigating whether Jabbar had any associates in the U.S. or overseas, but it was unclear whether the visit was connected to the attack.

FBI Director Christopher Wray stated in an interview with "60 Minutes" that he believes Jabbar was inspired by ISIS content found online.

"According to Wray, ISIS has inspired Jabbar, making it the most challenging type of terrorist threat. These individuals radicalize quickly and have a crude method of attack. There are few dots to connect and little time to do so."

The FBI is prioritizing lone wolf attacks, as warned by Wray over a year ago.

The New York Times reported that Jabbar's flag-flying method, displayed from the trailer hitch of his rented Ford F-150 EV, resembled the one in an ISIS propaganda poster discovered by the Daily Mail in 2017.

In 2017, there were vehicular terror attacks in London, New York City, Jerusalem, Barcelona, and other cities. The image depicts an SUV driving over a pile of skulls in front of an urban backdrop with the caption "Run over them without mercy" written in English.

In 2016, an ISIS-inspired terrorist drove a truck into Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, killing 84.

Al-Qaeda and other older terror groups focused on global-scale attacks, such as the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, while ISIS shifted towards small but brutal attacks that could be carried out anywhere in the world.

He stated that it was not necessary to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge, and that being a devoted Muslim was sufficient if one attacked their neighbor due to their disbelief in Islam.

The terrorists of ISIS gained notoriety by releasing gruesome videos of violence, which were expertly produced and portrayed torture and murder in excruciating detail.

Despite its defeat, the terror group still maintains an online presence through propaganda videos and a weekly newsletter, as reported by the Times.

Prior to Jabbar's rampage, ISIS propagandists encouraged supporters to enter homes and murder individuals, according to Voice of America's reporting.

For years, Mauro stated that counter-terror investigators have battled lone wolves motivated by similar campaigns.

Lone wolves who lack success become convinced they can achieve martyrdom through terrorism.

Despite heightened surveillance and awareness, attackers can still manage to evade detection.

On Dec. 31, 2022, a 19-year-old man from Maine named Trevor Bickford drove to New York City and attacked three police officers with a machete while shouting "Allahu akbar."

Earlier that year, he became radicalized and decided to wage jihad. He is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence.

Planet Chronicle' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.