Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully blocked the Biden administration from selling border wall materials before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
The Biden administration told a federal judge on Friday that it would agree to an order preventing them from disposing of border wall materials until Trump takes office.
“We have successfully blocked the Biden Administration from disposing of any further border wall materials before President Trump takes office,” Paxton said. “This follows our major victory forcing Biden to build the wall, and we will hold his Administration accountable for illegally subverting our Nation’s border security until their very last day in power, especially where their actions are clearly motivated by a desire to thwart President-elect Trump’s immigration agenda.”
Trump celebrated the decision in a post to Truth Social Saturday.
President Elect Trump Wrote:In a major, crucial WIN for America, and our National Security, a Federal Judge in Texas, based on papers we filed just a few days ago, has PROHIBITED the Biden Administration from selling any materials designated for the Border Wall, that has been wrecked by Biden and his cronies, and which I am going to rebuild in order to protect our Country from violent migrant crime, fentanyl smuggling, sex trafficking, terror attacks, and other heinous, Nation ending disasters.
. . .
The Judge has also ordered an investigation into the illegal selling of the materials, which will expose just how corrupt and anti-American Radical Democrats are.
The Biden administration will be held in contempt of court as a result of a May injunction by Paxton if “the Department of Justice made misrepresentations regarding the border materials that have been auctioned off.” The court said that the administration must provide documentation proving this did not happen.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Texas was made aware of border materials in Arizona slated for auction on a government website Dec. 12, which was the same day the Daily Wire reported the sale. The next day, Patrick said Texas tried to find the border wall materials on the auction site, but those items were then unavailable.
Trump previously complained that the Biden administration was selling the material “for pennies” and asked for them to stop “giving it away.”
By Darya Tarasova, Catherine Nicholls and Hassan Tayir, CNN
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologized for the fact that an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed after entering Russian airspace in Grozny, Chechnya, on Wednesday, but did not say that Russia was responsible.
Putin said Saturday that Russia’s air defense systems were active when the plane attempted to land in Grozny, according to the Kremlin. Unable to reach the airport, the aircraft diverted east, eventually crashing near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people on board.
People from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were on board the plane. Among the survivors were two children.
It is unconfirmed what was behind the incident, but a US official told CNN on Thursday that early indications suggest a Russian anti-aircraft system may have downed the passenger jet. In his comments, Putin did not say that Russian air defenses hit the plane.
Putin “apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” in a phone call with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The Kremlin said that the plane “repeatedly attempted to land at the airport in Grozny” but at the same time, the areas of “Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were attacked by Ukrainian combat drones, and Russian air defense systems repelled these attacks.”
Russia’s investigative committee has opened a criminal case in relation to the disaster, the statement said.
Video and images of the plane after it crashed show perforations in its body that look similar to damage from shrapnel or debris. The cause of these holes has not been confirmed.
CNN aviation analyst Miles O’Brien explained Thursday that the fact that the metal around the holes is bent inwards shows that there was “an explosion in proximity to the tail of that aircraft.”
The US official that spoke to CNN also said that the holes on the side of the aircraft are consistent with shrapnel damage from an explosion.
Azerbaijan’s Aliyev told Putin that the plane “encountered external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control,” according to an official presidential statement about Saturday’s call.
. . .
Putin also expressed condolences over the crash in a phone call with the president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on Saturday, the Kremlin said.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that he also spoke to Aliyev on Saturday, and conveyed his condolences regarding the “tragic crash.”
“Russia must provide clear explanations and stop spreading disinformation. Photos and videos clearly show the damage to the aircraft’s fuselage, including punctures and dents, which strongly point to a strike by an air defense missile,” Zelensky said.
. . .
At least five airlines have temporarily suspended flights to areas in Russia since the disaster, including Azerbaijan Airlines, Turkmenistan Airlines, El Al Israel, Flydubai and Qazaq Air.
Former President Jimmy Carter, honored more widely for his humanitarian work around the globe after his presidency than for his White House tenure during a tumultuous time, has died. He was 100.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
Carter died Sunday in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. In November 2023, the Nobel Peace Prize-winner's wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, also passed away in the modest house they built together in 1961, when he had taken over his father's peanut warehouse business and was only beginning to consider a political career.
In February 2023, he had announced he was ending medical intervention and moving to hospice care.
Jason Carter had visited his grandparents at the time of the announcement and said "They are at peace and – as always – their home is full of love," he posted on Twitter.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday ordered parliament dissolved and set new elections for Feb. 23 in the wake of the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition, saying it was the only way to give the country a stable government capable of tackling its problems.
Scholz lost a confidence vote on Dec. 16 and leads a minority government after his unpopular and notoriously rancorous three-party coalition collapsed on Nov. 6 when he fired his finance minister in a dispute over how to revitalize Germany’s stagnant economy.
Steinmeier said he made the decision because it was clear after consultation with party leaders that there was no agreement among Germany’s political parties on a majority for a new government in the current parliament.
“It is precisely in difficult times like these that stability requires a government capable of taking action and a reliable majority in parliament,” he said as he made the announcement in Berlin.
“Therefore I am convinced that for the good of our country new elections are the right way.”
Since the post-World War II constitution doesn’t allow the Bundestag to dissolve itself, it was up to Steinmeier to decide whether to dissolve parliament and call an election. He had 21 days to make that decision. Once parliament is dissolved, the election must be held within 60 days. Leaders of several major parties agreed earlier on the election date of Feb. 23, seven months earlier than originally planned.
Steinmeier warned about outside interference in the poll, saying it is “a danger to democracy, whether it is covert, as was evidently the case recently in the Romanian elections, or open and blatant, as is currently being practiced particularly intensively on platform X.”
Up is down, left is right and sideways is straight ahead. - Cord "Circle of Iron", 1978 (written by Bruce Lee and James Coburn... really...)
Quote:The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is under fire after initially asserting that the truck-ramming attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans — leaving at least ten dead and over two dozen more injured — was “not a terrorist event.”
Local police responded to the incident at 3:17 a.m., as a suspect drove a vehicle through a crowd of New Year’s revelers before opening fire. The FBI confirmed the suspect is deceased.
However, the FBI is coming under fire for initially stating that the attack was “not a terrorist event” — a real head scratcher, particularly given that the agency admitted that there were “improvised explosive devices” involved as well.
“This is not a terrorist event. What it is right now is there improvised explosive devices that was found, and we are working on confirming if this is a viable device or not,” the FBI said initially.
“As Chief Kirkpatrick said, we’re asking everyone to stay away from Bourbon Street,” the FBI continued, sparking confusion.
That contradicts the official statement from the FBI, which has since stated that it is “working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
President Joe Biden also confirmed this in a statement, which read in part, “The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and is investigating this incident as an act of terrorism.”
Quote:New Orleans terror suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar planted two IEDs (improvised explosive devices) ahead of his attack and is now believed to have acted alone, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia of the Counterterrorism Division said during a press conference Thursday morning.
Raia confirmed that 14 innocent individuals were killed in the attack, in which Shamsud Din Jabbar plowed his truck through crowds of people and opened fire. At least 35 more were injured as the result of the attack.
Despite the confusion initially after the attack, Raia made it clear that “this was an act of terrorism.”
“It was premeditated and an evil act. It’s obviously a critical incident, and with that, lots of information and tips come pouring in from law enforcement, first responders and the public,” he said, explaining that they have been “aggressively” pursuing leads and reviewing “hundreds of hours of surveillance and other video for both the French Quarter and other locations.”
Providing a rough timeline, Raia said Jabbar picked up the rented truck in Houston, Texas, on December 30 and drove to New Orleans on December 31. The suspect also “posted several videos to an online platform proclaiming his support for ISIS,” which goes along with authorities recovering an ISIS flag at the scene.
“As you know, we recovered an ISIS flag from the back of the vehicle. Jabbar declared his support for the terrorist group on social media, as I stated before, as he made his way to New Orleans,” he said. “FBI bomb technicians also recovered two IEDs in coolers, one from the cross section of Bourbon and Portland Street, and the second at an intersection approximately two blocks away,” he revealed, noting that reports of other devices are “misinformation.”
“Those are the only two devices that we’ve been able to recover that were functional. Both devices were rendered safe on scene,” he said, revealing they obtained surveillance footage “showing Jabbar placing the devices where they were found.”
Further, he said “at this point,” they do not believe anyone else is involved in the attack.
“Currently, and this is another position, another fact, I want to be clear on, we do not assess at this point that anyone else … is involved in this attack, except for Shamsud Din Jabbar, the subject you’ve already been briefed on,” he said.
Quote:New Orleans terror suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar said he originally planned to target his family and friends instead of strangers but did not because he feared the headlines would not focus on the “war between the believers and the disbelievers,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia of the Counterterrorism Division revealed during a press conference Thursday morning.
Raia provided a timeline of events that led to the attack, which resulted in 14 innocent victims losing their lives and roughly 35 more injured. He noted that Jabbar joined ISIS before the summer and posted videos to his Facebook account revealing his plans to originally attack family and friends. However, Jabbar decided it would not send the correct message, that this is a “war between the believers and disbelievers.”
“There were five videos posted on Jabbar’s Facebook account, which are time stamped, beginning at 1:29 a.m. and the last at 3:02 a.m.,” he said. “In the first video, Jabbar explains he originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the quote, ‘War between the believers and the disbelievers.’ End quote.”
“Additionally, he stated he had joined ISIS before this summer,” he added, noting that the FBI has obtained three phones linked to the suspect as well as two laptops.
“Those laptops were recovered at the manifold address,” he said, providing more information on Jabbar’s past, as he was born in the U.S. and was a U.S. military veteran.
“We are looking in everything in his life. While we have interviewed many people who know Jabbar, we still need to talk to others. Whether you know Jabbar, personally worked with him, served in the military, or saw him in New Orleans or Texas, we need to talk to you,” Raia said.
“You may not think you have relevant information, but what you know could tie in to one of our investigative leads,” he continued, noting that they particularly want to speak to anyone who was in the French Quarter on New Year’s Eve or early on New Year’s Day.
Quote:An 18-year-old girl dreaming of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a football star suffered fatal injuries when the driver of a white pickup truck sped onto Bourbon Street, packed with holiday revelers
...
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An 18-year-old girl dreaming of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a former Princeton football star suffered fatal injuries when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, packed with holiday revelers early Wednesday morning.
Officials have not yet released the names of the 15 people killed in the New Orleans New Year’s Day truck attack, but their families and friends have started sharing their stories. New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna said in a statement late Wednesday that they will release the names of the dead once autopsies are complete and they’ve talked with the next of kin. About 30 people were injured.
Nikyra Dedeaux
Zion Parsons of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Year’s Eve at his first night on Bourbon Street when a vehicle appeared and plowed into his friend, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, who he said had dreamed of becoming a nurse.
“A truck hit the corner and comes barreling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air,” Parsons, 18, told The Associated Press. “It hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive.”
As the crowd scattered in the chaos he ran through a gruesome aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, hearing gunshots and explosive sounds.
“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering” Parsons said. “People crying on the floor, like brain matter all over the ground. It was just insane, like the closest thing to a war zone that I’ve ever seen.”
Dedeaux was a responsible daughter — shorter than all her siblings but the one who helped take care of everyone, Parsons said. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start college and begin working towards her goal of becoming a registered nurse.
“She had her mindset — she didn’t have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down,” Parsons said.
Reggie Hunter
A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge was among the 15 people killed early Wednesday when a pickup truck careened down Bourbon Street in what officials called an act of terror.
Reggie Hunter had just left work and headed to celebrate New Year’s with a cousin when the attack happened, his first cousin Shirell Jackson told Nola.com.
Hunter was killed and his cousin was injured, Jackson said.
Tiger Bech
A former high school and college football player from Louisiana was among those who died after a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ French Quarter, according to an education official.
Tiger Bech, 27, died late Wednesday morning at a New Orleans hospital, according to local media outlets citing Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette. Bech attended the high school, where he played wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back, NOLA.com reported.
Bech played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021. Most recently he was working as an investment trader at a New York brokerage firm.
Princeton football coach Bob Surace said Wednesday that he had been texting with Bech’s father, sharing memories of the player, who was a school kick returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019. He earned All-Ivy League honors as a returner.
...
Quote:Louisiana’s attorney general is seeking a further delay for the Sugar Bowl after the deadly New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.
The College Football Playoff game between Georgia and Notre Dame was originally scheduled for Wednesday.
It was then delayed for 24-hours after at least 15 people were killed — including a former Princeton football star — in the wake of a terrorist driving a truck through crowded Bourbon Street as revelers celebrated at around 3:15 a.m, as Breitbart News reported.
An FBI investigation continues into driver Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42.
The agency said in a statement that at the time of the attack, he was driving a Ford pickup truck that appeared to have been rented, and that an ISIS flag was located in the vehicle.
The New York Post reports Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill told “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” on Wednesday night she would have preferred the football game get delayed at least until Friday.
“Not my decision, but I would like to see it delayed at least another day,” Murrill told the network. “If they asked my opinion, I would tell them that.”
Organizers of the Sugar Bowl — being held at the Caesar Superdome, which is about one mile away from the attack — decided to move the game to Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.
The winner of the game will play Penn State one week later on Jan. 9 in the Orange Bowl.
“We have been in consultation with ESPN, with the College Football Playoff, with the Southeastern Conference, with the University of Georgia, with Notre Dame. All parties and all agree that it’s in the best interest in everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon to confirm the change.
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge reported earlier in the day the Georgia football team has been sheltering after the attacks.
In separate statements, both the Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football say all their personnel have been accounted for.
Quote:The decorated special forces soldier who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas shot himself in the head before the blast, authorities said Thursday, adding that his motivation was still “unknown.”
Authorities said the suspect — identified as Matthew Alan Livelsberger — was a member of the elite Green Beret forces who appeared to have committed suicide in a Cybertruck filled with fuel containers and fireworks, which then erupted into flames.
He had a gunshot wound to the head and a gun was found at his feet, officials told reporters at a press conference in Las Vegas.
“The motivation at this point is unknown,” FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said, as investigators probed the incident as a potential act of “terror.”
Video footage outside the Trump International Hotel shows the stainless steel truck parked at the building’s glass entrance early Wednesday, then bursting into flames, followed by smaller explosions that appeared similar to fireworks.
Seven people were wounded in the blast.
The Trump-branded building, which opened in 2008, is part-owned by the Republican president-elect’s family business.
Evans said the link to the president-elect was “not lost” on agents, nor was the fact that Tesla is owned by world’s richest man — and prominent Trump backer — Elon Musk.
“But we don’t have information at this point that definitively tells us” it was driven by any particular ideology, he said.
Officials said the body had been burned beyond recognition, but that they have a “lot of confidence” it was Livelsberger — identified through his military ID, passport and credit cards.
Guns found
Livelsberger rented the vehicle in Colorado on December 28, from where authorities tracked him driving it alone through Arizona and New Mexico to Las Vegas, which he reached on January 1, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.
McMahill said Livelsberger was a Green Beret who had spent time in Germany and had been deployed to Afghanistan in 2009.
An army spokesperson said that Livelsberger was “on approved leave at the time of his death,” and that he had been awarded multiple Bronze Star Medals, including one for valor.
Quote:The man who allegedly tried to explode a Tesla Cybertruck near the Las Vegas Trump hotel had firearms in his possession which he purchased legally.
The Associated Press reported that the bombing suspect, 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, shot himself in the head before the explosives in the Cybertruck detonated.
The handgun he is believed to have used was found lying at his feet.
NBC News noted that law enforcement recovered two guns at the scene, “a .50-caliber Desert Eagle and a semiautomatic pistol.” They also noted that both guns were “lawfully purchased on December 30.”
ABC News pointed out that Livelsberger was “a Special Operations soldier who was on leave from his base in Germany.” He was “a Green Beret operations sergeant who was stationed mostly at Fort Carson, Colorado.”
Police Thanks Musk for Assisting Them in the Investigation
Quote:The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department expressed gratitude towards Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his help in the investigation of the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel on New Year’s Day.
Business Insider reports that on Wednesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Sheriff Kevin McMahill publicly thanked Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, for his assistance in the investigation of the Tesla Cybertruck explosion that occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. The incident, which took place at 8:40 a.m. local time, resulted in one fatality and seven injuries.
During a press conference, Sheriff McMahill specifically acknowledged Musk’s contributions to the investigation, stating, “He gave us quite a bit of additional information in regards to how the vehicle was locked after it exploded due to the nature of the force from the explosion as well as being able to capture all of the video from Tesla charging stations across the country, he sent that directly to us so I appreciate his help on that.”
The explosion, which is currently under investigation by the FBI to determine if it was an act of terrorism, originated from the Cybertruck’s cargo bed. According to McMahill, the bed contained gasoline canisters, fuel canisters, and “larger mortar fireworks.” The driver, who was killed in the explosion, has been identified as active duty Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger.
Elon Musk, in an X post on the day of the incident, echoed the sheriff’s remarks, stating, “The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.” He further emphasized that not even the glass doors of the hotel lobby were broken due to the Cybertruck’s strength.
The LVMPD released video footage of the exploded Cybertruck, which showed the vehicle’s cargo bed severely damaged by the blast. However, the hull of the Cybertruck appeared to be largely intact. Sheriff McMahill credited the limited damage inside the valet area to the Cybertruck’s robust construction, stating, “The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast go up through the truck and out.”
Both Places
Turo Involved in Terror Attacks? Authorities Will Find Out
Quote:Car rental app Turo, widely known as the “Airbnb for cars,” has come under the spotlight after the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas and the truck used in the deadly New Orleans terror attack were both rented through the platform.
Business Insider reports that two separate incidents involving vehicles rented through the car-sharing app Turo have left authorities investigating possible connections between the cases. On Wednesday, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing the driver and injuring seven others. The same day, a truck rented through Turo was used in a deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans, claiming the lives of 15 people.
Turo, a San Francisco-based company often described as the “Airbnb for cars,” allows private car owners to rent out their vehicles to users. The platform offers a wide variety of cars, from everyday Toyotas to luxury Porsches and Teslas. With backing from high-profile investors such as American Express, BMW, and Google Ventures, as well as celebrities like rapper 2 Chainz and various NBA and NFL players, Turo has grown to become a significant player in the car-sharing industry.
In a statement released on its website, Turo confirmed that the vehicles involved in both the Las Vegas explosion and the New Orleans attack were rented through its service. The company stated that its trust and safety team is actively cooperating with law enforcement authorities to provide any information that could assist in their investigations. Turo also noted that they do not believe either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and they are not currently aware of any information indicating that the two incidents are related.
According to Turo’s terms of service, the company has the “right but not the obligation” to perform background checks:
Turo has the right, but not the obligation, to undertake screenings, checks, and engage in processes designed to (1) help verify the identities or check the backgrounds of users, including driving history and driver’s license validity and (2) verify vehicle details. Turo does not endorse any vehicle, user, or a user’s background, or commit to undertake any specific screening process. Turo may in its sole discretion use third-party services to verify the information you provide to us and to obtain additional related information and corrections where applicable, and you hereby authorize Turo to request, receive, use, and store such information. Turo may permit or refuse your request to book or list a vehicle in its sole and absolute discretion. Turo may, but does not commit to, undertake efforts to ensure the safety of vehicles shared through the Services. We do not make any representations about, confirm, or endorse the safety, roadworthiness, or legal status of any vehicles shared via the Services. Rather, hosts have sole responsibility to ensure their vehicles are in safe and operable condition, legally registered to be driven on public roads, have a clean title (e.g., non-salvaged/non-branded/non-washed/non-written off), not subject to any applicable safety recalls, and otherwise satisfy our vehicle eligibility requirements.
Is it just a coincidence that both guys served at the same base?
Quote:The suspect in Wednesday’s Las Vegas Tesla Cybertruck explosion and the suspect in the New Orleans terror attack reportedly served at the same military base.
Authorities are investigating the New Orleans incident as an act of terror and the Las Vegas incident as a “possible act of terror,” according to Breitbart News.
Denver 7 reported of the two suspects on Thursday:
Matthew Livelsberger is accused of renting a Cybertruck in Colorado Springs, driving it to Nevada and packing it with firework mortars and gas cans before exploding it in front of the Trump International Hotel in Vegas Wednesday morning, killing himself and injuring seven others. Shamsud-Din Jabbar is suspected of plowing through a crowd of New Year’s revelers in the French Quarter hours earlier, killing at least 15 and injuring dozens more in an attack that sent shockwaves through a famous New Year’s destination the morning of a scheduled College Football Playoff game.
The outlet said the men were Army veterans, adding, “Late Wednesday, multiple informed sources told Denver7 Chief Investigator Tony Kovaleski of the link between the two suspects’ military service”:
Twitter Wrote:NEW: The Cybertruck explosion suspect has been identified as 37 year old former Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger, according to local news reports.
Livelsberger reportedly served at the same military base as New Orleans terrorist suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar.
Here is what we know about Livelsberger:
- Livelsberger lived in Colorado Springs.
- He served 18 years in the Special Forces according to the Daily Mail.
- His current job was Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager.
- He is believed to have set off explosives in the back of the truck.
- It’s unclear at the moment if Livelsberger is connected to Jabbar.
Kovaleski wrote in a social media post on Thursday:
Twitter Wrote:BREAKING—Sources also confirming Livelsberger served at the same military base as the terrorist responsible for the attack in New Orleans and authorities are investigating a possible connection between the two men. @DenverChannel
Officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed Wednesday that Jabbar was carrying an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag in the vehicle when the horrific incident unfolded, per Breitbart News.[/spoiler]
Quote:President Joe Biden said on Wednesday there is "no justification" for what he called the "horrific" attack early on New Year's Day in New Orleans, noting that the FBI was investigating it as an act of terrorism.
"I have been continually briefed since early this morning by federal law enforcement leadership and my homeland security team, including Secretary of Homeland Security Ali Mayorkas, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, and the Mayor of New Orleans regarding the horrific incident that occurred there overnight," Biden said in a written statement.
At least 15 people were killed and 25 injured when a vehicle rammed into a crowd gathered on Bourbon Street, authorities said.
Police say the driver was "hell-bent" on causing damage as they drove on the street at a very fast pace in the early morning hours Wednesday. The driver then exited the vehicle with an assault weapon, and was shot and killed by officers.
"I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury," Biden said. "I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind."
"I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as we have further information to share. In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday," the president added in the statement. "There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation's communities."
Biden briefly spoke about the attack as he departed Delaware to travel to Camp David, though he declined to comment on specific questions from reporters regarding the suspect's identity.
...
President-elect Donald Trump also weighed in on the tragedy, calling it "pure evil."
"Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!" Trump wrote in a statement on his conservative social media platform.
"When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true," Trump falsely implied, hours before the FBI identified the suspect as a U.S. citizen from Texas.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana native, also called the violence "pure evil."
"The vicious attack on innocent people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans early this morning was an act of pure evil, and justice must be swift for anyone who was involved," Johnson wrote on X. "Please join us in praying for the victims, their families, and the first responders and investigators on the scene."
Quote:The U.S. Capitol Police have taken a suspect into custody while investigating a “suspicious vehicle” along Constitution Avenue and Third Street, NW — just one day before the new Congress officially heads into town.
“Our officers just responded to the area of Constitution Avenue and Third Street, NW, for a suspicious vehicle. Please avoid the area while we investigate,” U.S. Capitol Police confirmed just after 10 a.m. Eastern.
“We are still investigating the suspicious vehicle near Constitution Avenue and Third Street, NW. We will keep you all updated with the latest information as soon as we can release it,” it continued, providing a list of streets closed due to the investigation.
In the most recent update as of this writing, law enforcement said officers spotted a vehicle driving along the sidewalk “near Peace Circle, and into the grassy area near Third Street, NW, & Constitution Avenue.”
“Officers took the man into custody. Please continue to avoid the area while we investigate the car,” authorities added.
...
TPUSA Frontlines reporter Monica Page also posted a video of the area, where authorities told her that “someone was driving a vehicle erratically onto the sidewalk, so everything around the Capitol is shut down for now.”
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, also a Republican, called the incident "tragic" but said he believed the Sugar Bowl -- an annual college football game played in New Orleans on New Year's Day -- should go on.
"The terrorists win if we don't live our lives. We must live our lives. Otherwise, one more time, they win and they can't win. We've got to track them down, we've got to hunt them down, we've got to find out their supporting network, and we've got to bring them to justice," Cassidy said on Fox News.
Hours after he spoke, a local official said the game had been postponed until Thursday.
And certain groups in NYC could not stay silent on these events.
Quote:Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in New York City on New Year’s Day for “intifada,” blocking Sixth Avenue in Manhattan just hours after a terror attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, and an explosion in Las Vegas, Nevada.
...
The Times of Israel reported:
Attendees chanted “Resistance is glorious — we will be victorious,” “We will honor all our martyrs,” and “Gaza, you make us proud.” They carried signs that said “Zionism is cancer,” “No war on Iran,” and “End all US aid to Israel.”
“There is only one solution — Intifada revolution,” they chanted, using a common refrain at anti-Israel rallies in the US. “Intifada,” Arabic for “uprising,” is associated with the Second Intifada, a period of terror attacks in Israel in the early 2000s marked by suicide bombings.
…
A handful of pro-Israel counter-protesters showed up to wave Israeli and American flags on the sidelines of the demonstration, while heckling the anti-Israel activists. A Jewish retiree led chants of “Get a job” directed at the protesters.
The New Orleans attack took place in the early hours of the morning, when Shamsud Din Jabbar, who had reportedly pledged loyalty to ISIS, rammed his car into a crown on Bourbon Street, killing more than a dozen people.
Even so, Mayorkas has plenty of time to spit out some old lies over and over again.
Quote:On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded to questions on how we can ensure ISIS won’t exploit the border by stating that “individuals who pose a threat to public safety or our national security are prioritized for immigration detention and removal from the United States.” And that policy changes have been made to reduce traffic at the southern border.
After listing figures about potential terrorists at the border, host Sandra Smith asked, [relevant exchange begins around 2:30] “How can we be sure that ISIS won’t find a safe harbor here?”
Mayorkas answered, “It is our highest responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the American people. And in the service of that responsibility, we screen and vet individuals, and individuals who pose a threat to public safety or our national security are prioritized for immigration detention and removal from the United States. And looking at the matter before us, the tragedy in New Orleans yesterday, we are dealing with a United States citizen born in the state of Texas who was radicalized to violence by a foreign terrorist ideology. But, let me be clear, whatever the nature of the threat, those who pose a threat to the American people are our highest priority for law enforcement action as our laws provide and we enforce and execute those laws every single day. And so many people in our department do so at risk to their own well-being and safety.”
Smith responded, “There are going to be many who are going to hear you say that and wonder why more hasn’t been done to stop people from illegally coming into the country, Mr. Secretary. I looked back at March 12. And I was reminded when Christopher Wray, heading up the FBI, said that the terror level in this country has reached a whole new level, worried about those here who will inspire acts like, by the way, the one that just happened in New Orleans. He said the terror level threat is higher than before October 7. So, one might wonder why there hasn’t been a change in policy that has led to that.”
Mayorkas responded, “Well, there has been a change in policy. Quite frankly, the number of individuals encountered at our southern border on a daily basis now is lower than it was in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, number one. Number two, Director Wray was speaking of the fact that we have a diverse set of challenges that our country is facing. And I have spoken publicly about this as well. We have the persistent threat of foreign terrorism that really gave rise to the Department of Homeland Security in the first instance after the tragic events of 9/11. We have the individuals already resident in the United States radicalized to violence by a foreign terrorist ideology, or, over the last eight years, what we have seen, anti-government sentiment, false narratives spread online, personal grievances. And the third major threat vector is adverse nation-states such as the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Iran that we counter every single day.”
Quote:Ten people were wounded when multiple gunmen opened fire outside a NYC nightclub on Wednesday about 11:15 p.m.
The Associated Press reported approximately 15 people–ages 16 to 20 years–were standing outside Amazura nightclub when armed men approached and began shooting.
A private event was being hosted at the club at the time of the shooting.
The gunmen ran to a getaway car after firing approximately 30 rounds into the crowd.
The New York Post noted there four gunmen and the wounded consist of four males and six females. All the shooting victims are expected to survive.
AM NY pointed out that the private event at Amazura nightclub was reportedly held “in honor of a known gang member in the community slain last October whose birthday coincided with New Year’s Day.”
New York is ranked number two in the nation for gun control strength.
Quote:The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania obtained a grand jury indictment against a former U.S. Army soldier. The indictment alleges the Pennsylvania resident made multiple attempts to join a foreign terrorist organization in Lebanon and Syria.
A federal grand jury handed down an indictment against Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, a former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is charged with attempting to support the foreign terrorist organization Hezbollah, also known as Hizballah, and making false statements involving international terrorism to a department or agency of the United States.
Court documents indicate that Molloy, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, made multiple attempts to join Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria. The documents also reveal that Molloy previously served on active duty in the United States Army.
Molloy was charged with making false statements on Dec. 6, 2024, following an investigation into his travels to Lebanon and Syria in August 2024. Officials arrested him in Chicago, Illinois, in December, and the U.S. Marshals Service transported him to Pittsburgh on Monday.
As alleged in the indictment and complaint, from around August 2024 through approximately December 2024, Molloy attempted to provide material support, resources, and services to Hezbollah, a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, Molloy is alleged to have committed these offenses in Pennsylvania, Syria, and Lebanon while knowing that Hezbollah was a designated terrorist organization and that the organization had engaged in and was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism.
Hezbollah — spelled Hizballah in court and other U.S. government documents — was formed in the wake of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and has conducted numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli and Western targets, including against American military and diplomatic personnel. Court documents allege Molloy traveled to Lebanon in August 2024 and attempted to join the foreign terrorist organization unsuccessfully. While in Lebanon, Molloy was told by multiple individuals that the time was not right and that he needed to take other steps before he could join the terrorist organization.
Molloy then allegedly traveled from Lebanon to Syria in October 2024 in hopes of fighting for Hezbollah in Syria. After returning to the United States, Molloy resided in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, where he continued his attempts to join Hezbollah, including through communication with individuals online and in Lebanon. During his time in the United States and abroad, Molloy also allegedly expressed his hatred toward and promoted violence against Jewish people.
And yes my friends, a immigrant caravan can be a serious security threat as well. Especially under Mayorkas' supervision.
Quote:The first migrant caravan of 2025 began its journey from Southern Mexico, intending to reach the U.S. border prior to the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States.
Between 2,000 to 2,500 migrants started the first caravan of 20205 in the southern state of Chiapas. The goal of the group is to walk to Mexico City to find alternate routes to reach the U.S. border and claim asylum.
The caravan began early Thursday morning in the Bicentennial Park of Tapachula, Chiapas. Agents with Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) who spoke with Breitbart Texas revealed that the coordination for the caravan was carried out through social media messages and messaging applications, not posterboards and loudspeakers, as it had done in the past. The move was made to avoid any interference from authorities.
INM agents and members of Mexico’s National Guard were at the park but ultimately allowed the caravan to move northward. INM agents recorded the group as they walked past them while some local police officials helped direct traffic.
The caravan is the first of 2025 and the tenth since Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October. Members of the current caravan and the prior ones have expressed a sense of urgency to enter the United States before President-Elect Trump takes office.
Quote:The Islamic State on Wednesday claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack on a Somali military base in the Puntland region — but remained silent on the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans, whose perpetrator carried an ISIS flag in his pickup truck.
ISIS claimed at least 22 military personnel were killed in the Puntland attack, which began with a string of suicide bombings and car bombs in the eastern village of Dharjale.
National and regional government officials would not immediately confirm the casualty count, but local media reports said 18 soldiers were killed and 30 were injured, some of them critically. Eight ISIS fighters and an uncertain number of civilians were also killed in the attack.
“Photos purported to be of dead militants show severed heads, and burned and mutilated flesh, indicating the use of a massive explosive device,” Voice of America News (VOA) reported.
Puntland officials indicated in December they were preparing to begin a sustained operation against ISIS militants in the area, so the attack may have been seen as a pre-emptive strike by the terrorist organization. Somali and U.S. security officials agree that the Islamic State has substantially increased its numbers in Somalia, including both local recruits and foreign fighters.
In its claim of responsibility for the attack, ISIS boasted that just twelve of its fighters were responsible for the terrible damage. According to Puntland counter-terrorism officials, nine of the attackers were suicide bombers who died after detonating their payloads.
ISIS also boasted that fighters from seven different nations were involved in the attack on the Somali military camp, including Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Yemen.
The Islamic State in Somalia, founded in Puntland in 2015 by defectors from Somalia’s premier terrorist gang al-Shabaab, has grown into a major power center for ISIS even though it remains fairly small in manpower terms. Even after the growth described by American and Somali security officials, ISIS-Somalia has six hundred active members at most.
After surviving al-Shabbab’s efforts to destroy or absorb it, ISIS-Somalia became an important logistical and financial hub for ISIS activities across Africa and around the world. ISIS-Somalia excels at raising large amounts of cash through extortion rackets, which it uses to fund ISIS activities in other theaters. Its success at recruiting foreign fighters is due in part to the growing popularity and influence of its leader, Abdulqadir Mumin, who has become one of the top Islamic State leaders worldwide.
While it was quick to claim responsibility for the attack in Somalia, ISIS has been quiet on the topic of New Orleans, where accused terrorist Shamsud-din Jabbar allegedly carried an ISIS flag in his truck when he drove through a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring 30 more. Jabbar himself was shot dead by police at the scene.
In his brief statement on the New Orleans horror, outgoing President Joe Biden said Jabbar was “inspired by ISIS” to commit his “despicable attack.”
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
News of the World
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Is it just a coincidence that both guys served at the same base?
Especially under Mayorkas' supervision.![[Image: SP1-Scripter.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Scripter.png)
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