WASHINGTON — A tragic incident in New Orleans has prompted renewed concern over the influence of the extremist group Islamic State (IS). According to police reports, the black banner of the Islamic State was recovered from the truck involved in the attack on New Year's partygoers, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drew inspiration from IS or its affiliated groups worldwide. President Joe Biden revealed that just hours prior to the attack, Jabbar posted videos on social media expressing admiration for the group.

The Islamic State, also known as IS or ISIS, originated as a splinter group from al-Qaida. At its height in 2014 under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, IS captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria. Although driven from its declared caliphate by a US-led coalition by 2019, the group remains a vital source of ideological extremism. Experts caution that despite its territorial losses, IS is actively attempting to regroup in the Middle East.

Over the years, the group has been associated with several high-profile attacks, including a coordinated assault in 2015 Paris that claimed the lives of 130 people. While the volume of attacks inspired by IS has decreased in recent years, the ideology continues to incite violence globally.

The FBI has expressed concerns regarding the growing threat of international terrorism after a violent resurgence connected to events in Israel and Gaza in late 2023. Several radicalized individuals in the United States have previously committed heinous acts, including a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando and an attack in San Bernardino, both of which had links to IS ideology.

Attacks like the recent New Orleans incident underscore the persistent danger posed by IS affiliates and lone-wolf attackers motivated by its extremist narrative. A decentralized alliance of IS-affiliated groups continues to inspire violence across Africa, Asia, and Europe, raising alarming questions about the resilience of extremist ideologies in the digital age.

The SITE intelligence group noted a surge in support for IS online following the New Orleans attack, with one supporter exclaiming, "If it's a brother, he's a legend. Allahu Akbar," indicating a continual glorification of such violence.

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