'Cowardly': PM Narendra Modi condemns New Orleans truck attack

PM Narendra Modi said his thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

Published on: Jan 2, 2025, 18:33:07 IST

By HT News Desk

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the truck attack in the United States city of New Orleans in which 15 people died.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (DPR PMO/ANI)

"We strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack in New Orleans. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May they find strength and solace as they heal from this tragedy," he wrote on X.

A US army veteran with an Islamic State flag rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year revelers in New Orleans on Wednesday.

The FBI identified the attacker as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas. After his rampage, he came out of the truck and started firing. The law enforcement shot him dead.

Also read: Eyewitnesses recount New Orleans truck attack: 'Can't get over her screams'

The FBI said that authorities "do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible."

Police said the incident began around 3:15 am (0915 GMT) near Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter, packed with people celebrating the start of 2025.

The suspect drove a white Ford F-150 electric pickup into a group of pedestrians. Two homemade bombs were also found and neutralized, the FBI said.

"This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could," New Orleans police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.

Driving at "very high speed" and in a "very intentional" manner, "he was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did," Kirkpatrick added.

Explosion in Las Vegas

Meanwhile, an explosion took place inside a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person.

The vehicles involved in both the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks were rented from the same rental platform, Turo.

"Appears likely to be an act of terrorism. Both this Cybertruck and the F-150 suicide bomb in New Orleans were rented from Turo. Perhaps they are linked in some way," Tesla chief Elon Musk wrote on X.

With inputs from AFP

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HT News Desk
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