100% Inspired by ISIS: FBI Reveals New Chilling Details About New Orleans Attacker

New Orleans: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday revealed that the Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans on New Year 's Eve acted alone and was "100% inspired by ISIS," AP reported.

The federal agency revealed that the driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an American citizen from Texas, posted five videos on his Facebook account hours before the attack in which he proclaimed his support for the militant group and previewed the violence he would unleash in the famed district.

Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division said, "This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act," calling Jabbar “100% inspired” by the Islamic State.

No One Was Involved: FBI

According to Raia, Jabbar drove a pickup truck into unarmed civilians, leaving devastation in his wake. Investigators believe he acted alone. “No one else was involved in the attack, other than Shamsud-Din Jabbar,” Raia said.

Authorities are currently examining Jabbar’s potential ties to the Islamic State group, which he publicly declared allegiance to in online videos posted before the attack. During his drive from Houston to New Orleans, Jabbar recorded several clips, including one where he spoke about “war between the believers and the disbelievers.”

FBI Statement on New Orleans Attack

"Today, at approximately 3:15 a.m. CST, an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 10 and injuring dozens of others. After hitting the crowd, he exited the vehicle and fired upon local law enforcement. Law enforcement returned fire, and the subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. Two law enforcement officers were injured and transported to a local hospital. The subject has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas. He was driving a Ford pickup truck, which appears to have been rented, and we are working to confirm how the subject came into possession of the vehicle," the FBI said in the statement issued on January 1.

"An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations. Weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter. The FBI’s special agent bomb technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable, and they will work to render those devices safe. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism. We are aggressively running down all leads to identify any possible associates of the subject," it added.

The agency further set up a digital line for people to submit any information or video of the incident. It said, "The FBI has set up a digital tip line, and we ask anyone with information or video of the incident to submit them to www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack or call 1-800-CALL-FBI."

Evidence and Explosives Found

Jabbar’s pickup truck bore a flag associated with the Islamic State group, Raia confirmed. Investigators also found two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in coolers at separate locations in New Orleans: one at the intersection of Bourbon and Orleans streets and another two blocks away.

“These were functional IEDs,” Raia said, adding that surveillance footage captured Jabbar placing the devices. Reports of additional explosive devices were unfounded as they were non-functional, he noted.

Authorities are reviewing evidence recovered from three phones and two laptops connected to Jabbar. A property in Mandeville, Louisiana, linked to him has also been secured and is being searched for further leads.

Hundreds of Tips and Hours of Surveillance

Specialized teams, including bomb technicians and evidence technicians, have been deployed as part of the investigation. So far, the FBI has received more than 400 tips related to the attack, some from locations outside New Orleans.

Investigators are also combing through hundreds of hours of surveillance footage from the French Quarter and surrounding areas to piece together Jabbar’s movements before and during the attack.

“This investigation is far from over,” Raia said. “But what is clear is that this was a deliberate and heinous act of terrorism, and we will continue to pursue justice for the victims and their families.”