FBI Official Reassigned After Mislabeling New Orleans Attack as Non-Terrorist

Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan was reassigned after initially contradicting federal and local authorities' classification of the New Year’s Day attack as terrorism linked to ISIS.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and former Army serviceman, drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd, killing 15 and injuring dozens, before being killed in a police shootout.
Authorities found an ISIS flag in Jabbar's vehicle, and the FBI confirmed his affiliation with the terrorist group since mid-2024.
Jabbar had posted pro-ISIS videos during his journey to New Orleans and was found with improvised explosive devices in his truck, including a rare compound called R-Salt.
FBI Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan initially stated the incident was 'not a terrorist event,' contradicting statements from the FBI, President Biden, and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Following criticism, Duncan was temporarily reassigned, though she remains with the FBI, and no further details about her new role have been disclosed.