The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff, Wire Reports
Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:20 PM
New York Attack Part Of String Of Vehicle Attacks In Europe, Now USA
At least eight people have died and 11
people were left injured Tuesday after a suspect crashed a truck into a
crowd in New York City.
The driver jumped out of the truck with a fake gun in each hand and was
shot by police, authorities said.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called it “an act of terror” during a
media briefing.
“In NYC, looks like another attack by a very sick and deranged person.
Law enforcement is following this closely. NOT IN THE U.S.A.!” President
Donald Trump tweeted.
The attack was being investigated by the FBI as terrorism — and comes
after a string of recent vehicle attacks in Europe.
Aug. 18, 2017 — Cambrils, Catalonia, Spain
On Aug. 18, an Audi plowed into pedestrians on the promenade in
Cambrils, a coastal town south of Barcelona. One person was killed.
An officer fatally shot four attackers as they got out of the vehicle
with weapons, the Guardian reported. A fifth attacker stabbed a
bystander and was shot by a different officer, according to the paper.
Investigators believe the attackers belonged to the same cell
responsible for an attack in Las Ramblas.
Aug. 17, 2017 — Barcelona
A van plowed into a group of people at Las Ramblas promenade in
Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and injuring 130 others.
ISIS claimed responsibility, and the driver was killed Aug. 21 after a
manhunt.
Aug. 9, 2017 — Paris
A driver rammed a vehicle into a group of soldiers in the French
capital, leaving six of them injured.
A prosecutor later pressed charges against Algerian national Hamou
Benlatreche of attempted murder of security forces in connection with a
terrorist enterprise.
Prosecutor Francois Molins said investigators found images in
Benlatreche’s phone that were connected to ISIS, such as a flag and
photos of its leaders.
June 19, 2017 — London
During Ramadan, a man drove into pedestrians around the Finsbury Park
mosque in northern London. One person, a 51-year-old man, was killed,
and others were hurt.
Authorities charged a Welsh 47-year-old suspect, Darren Osborne, with
terrorism-related murder and attempted murder.
June 3, 2017 — London
Three men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge before getting out of
a van and stabbing people at Borough Market. Eight people were killed
and 48 others were injured.
The attackers were killed by police, and ISIS claimed responsibility for
the attack.
SUSPECTED PARIS ATTACK DRIVER ARRESTED
April 7, 2017 — Stockholm
A hijacked beer truck rammed into a group of shoppers in the Swedish
capital. Five victims ultimately died.
The suspect, a 39-year-old man from Uzbekistan named Rakhmat Akilov, was
taken into custody. Akilov was reportedly an ISIS sympathizer.
A few days after the attack, Akilov’s lawyer said his client “admits to
a terrorist crime,” the Guardian reported.
March 22, 2017 — London
A man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge,
killing four people. He later ran onto the grounds of Parliament and
fatally stabbed an unarmed police officer.
The suspect was fatally shot by police. ISIS claimed responsibility for
the attack.
Dec. 19, 2016 — Berlin
Twelve people died after a driver used a hijacked truck to plow into a
Christmas market in Berlin.
The attacker was killed in Italy several days later by police.
ISIS claimed responsibility, reportedly saying that the attacker “is a
soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the attack in response to
calls for targeting citizens of the Crusader coalition.”
July 14, 2016 — Nice, France
The driver of a tractor-trailer targeted Bastille Day revelers in the
southern French city, killing 86 people. The 31-year-old driver was
fatally shot by police.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Fox News’ Jake Gibson and the Associated Press contributed to this
report.