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Video emerged showing what appears to be the immediate aftermath, with the large white truck stopped in the street as pops of gunfire are heard. Wochit
Police stand by as medical personnel attend a person on the ground, right, in the early hours of July 14, 2016, on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, next to the lorry that had been driven into crowds of revelers.(Photo: AP)
The attack in Nice that killed more than 80 people is an example of a shift in tactics by terror groups who are encouraging followers in the West to stay home and wreak havoc with whatever means they have at their disposal.
The use of a truck to mow down victims in the French Riviera resort town late Thursday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is part of a move to a do-it-yourself style<span style="color: Red;">*</span>terrorism used by lone wolfs or small terror cells to conduct attacks that require minimal planning and support, analysts say.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have advocated the use of vehicles to kill people over the years. These types of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>attacks are generally inspired, but not directed by, a terror group.
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French authorities identified<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Mohamed Bouhlel, 31, as the main suspect<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in the attack. Bouhlel, who was killed in a shootout with police as he tried to flee the scene,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was a French national of Tunisian descent and a resident of the seaside resort where the attack took place.
Analysts say the West needs to brace for an increase in such attacks on easy, or "soft," targets carried out by easily available means.
“The high-impact/low-capability nature of the attack raises the risk of the repeated use of the tactic in France and allied countries in the coming months,” according to an analysis by IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, which tracks terror groups.
USA TODAY
Nice attack suspect identified as Mohamed Bouhlel
Vehicles have been used frequently in terror attacks in recent years. Palestinian militants have been using vehicles to attack Israelis and there have been several similar attacks in France, IHS said.
In France, two vehicle attacks<span style="color: Red;">*</span>were conducted in December 2014 in Dijon and Nantes that killed one and wounded 20. Another such attack wounded a soldier this January in Valence, IHS said in the analysis.
These kinds of simple attacks are increasing<span style="color: Red;">*</span>as the Islamic State loses territory in Iraq and Syria, where a U.S.-led air campaign is backing ground forces and pushing the militants out of their self-proclaimed caliphate.
USA TODAY
Deadly truck attack in Nice: What we know
The Islamic State has lost about 45% of the territory they held in Iraq at the group's peak last year, according to the Pentagon. The militants<span style="color: Red;">*</span>have lost about 20% of the territory they once controlled in Syria.
The Islamic State has been encouraging followers in the West to remain home instead of trying to get to Iraq or Syria. That<span style="color: Red;">*</span>shift<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is a way of staying relevant, analysts say.
“They are losing territory, but they can still do these attacks,” said Mubin Shaik, a former counter-terror operative for Canadian security and intelligence services. “They are going to do what they can do.”
USA TODAY
Vehicles of terror: France has seen this before
He said groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaeda encourage<span style="color: Red;">*</span>followers to conduct attacks and tell them they will claim credit for successful assaults,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Shaik said.
Attacks on easy targets, such as families gathered to watch fireworks, can wreak havoc and garner headlines with limited planning and oversight. They are also hard to prevent.
“There’s some planning and logistics that go with it, but it’s not the most sophisticated attack you’ll ever see,” said Patrick Johnston, a terrorism analyst at Rand Corp.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>“This is sort of the next tactical shift.”
While attacks have increased lately, the Islamic State was encouraging these types of assaults against Westerners as far back as 2014, even recommending vehicles as a way to kill foreigners.
USA TODAY
#NiceAttack: How it unfolded
Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani al-Shami in a 2014 statement encouraged followers to kill “disbelievers” in the West by any means possible, including rocks, knives, choking, poison or running them over with a car.
Even with less planning and logistical support, the attacks<span style="color: Red;">*</span>achieve the objectives of radical Islamic groups, Shaik said.
“They demoralize people and create more anti-Muslim sentiment,” he said. “It’s deliberately done like this to cleave societies apart.”
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEA timeline of terror: Recent terror attacks in France | 1:30Over the last two years France has suffered numerous terrorist attacks. USA TODAY
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCESee how far truck traveled on devastating path through Nice | 0:30An animated video shows the devastating path of destruction that a truck took when it plowed into a crowd in Nice, France.
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCERaw: Video emerges of French police shooting at suspected driver | 0:32Video emerged showing what appears to be the immediate aftermath, with the large white truck stopped in the street as pops of gunfire are heard. Wochit
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEDetails emerge on Nice attack suspect | 0:31French media have identified Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a French national of Tunisian descent, as the man who mowed down dozens of people with a truck at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France. Two Americans were among those killed. USA TODAY NETWORK
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEHollande: 'Horror has struck France' | 1:08Dozens of people were mowed down by a cargo truck in Nice as they were celebrating Bastille Day. French President Francois Hollande condemned the attack and extended the state of emergency for three months. USA TODAY NETWORK
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEExclusive: Raw video of French police shooting at truck cab | 1:00Video shows the moment police in Nice, France fired into the cab of a truck that had just mowed down dozens of people. WARNING: Graphic content. (July 15) AP
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCERaw: People flee from Nice, France truck attack | 0:40A truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice in what officials described as a deliberate attack. There appeared to be many casualties. (July 14)
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEDriver plows into crowd, killing dozens in Nice, France | 0:38Dozens of people are dead after a truck plowed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France. Here's what we know so far.
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCERaw: French police on scene after truck attack | 0:40An eyewitness has told The Associated Press that he saw a truck driver slam a vehicle into a crowd of revelers in the French resort city of Nice and then emerge shooting, killing many. (July 14)
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TRUCK CRASHES INTO BASTILLE DAY CROWD IN NICE, FRANCEMore than 70 dead after truck drives into crowd in Nice, France | 0:51A semi-truck drove into a crowd that had gathered for a Bastille Day celebration in Nice.
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