CNN's Wolf Blitzer Presses DHS Secretary On 'Warning' Memo About Vehicle Attacks

LOADING ERROR LOADING CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about memos where his department reportedly warned law enforcement agencies of “lone offenders” and the potential use of vehicle ramming about a month before the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans. The memos ― a joint bulletin and a later-released “critical incident note” on the deadly German Christmas market attack obtained by CNN ― described how “lone offenders pose most likely threat of violence to soft targets in the Homeland during winter holidays.” “Lone offenders have historically used simple tactics, such as edged weapons, firearms, or vehicle ramming, due to their ease of access, ability to inflict mass casualties, and lack of required training,” read the bulletin issued on Dec. 6. Mayorkas told Blitzer that the bulletin wasn’t DHS’s first tied to a lone offender attack threat and ― after noting that the suspect was an Army veteran and U.S. citizen ― added that the department has spoken on the phenomenon of U.S. residents “radicalized to violence by a foreign terrorist” or other ideologies. Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, told reporters on Thursday that the bureau believes the suspect — Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who officials say died in a shootout with police — acted alone in the deadly attack, which he described as an “act of terrorism” that was “100% inspired by ISIS.” Raia said there was “no definitive link” between the truck attack and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion Wednesday in Las Vegas.