LONDON (AP) – France’s deadly truck attack marks a frightening new reality in European terrorism: assailants turning to an ever-expanding arsenal in bloodshed that is becoming harder to predict or prevent.
Europe is no stranger to such violence, but Thursday’s death toll of at least 84 people represented one of the deadliest vehicle attacks in recent years.
Although the motivation behind the attack is not yet clear, the Tunisian driver plowed the vehicle into a crowd of revelers who had been watching fireworks for Bastille Day festivities. Unlike attacks that have involved explosives-laden vehicles, the sheer weight and speed of the truck on the busy promenade appeared to have caused the high number of deaths.
“Using vehicles in attacks is a fairly well-established tactic with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group,” said Matthew Henman, managing editor at IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre. “The deliberate use of a heavy truck targeting a crowd illustrates the demonstrability of the attack and could be the precursor for other attacks.”
Supporters of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group praised the attack Friday, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.