New Orleans continues to be reeling on Friday, the third day for the reason that truck-ramming assault killed 14 folks, in addition to the alleged terrorist who died throughout a shootout with police early on New Year’s Day.
The FBI launched new eerie surveillance photographs Thursday exhibiting the now-deceased suspect – 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar – nearly an hour earlier than he allegedly sped a rented Ford pick-up via a crowd of Bourbon Street revelers within the assault that officers say was impressed by the Islamic State. More than 30 others have been injured. Despite beforehand investigating the potential of accomplices within the assault, the FBI stated Thursday the bureau is assured Jabbar acted alone.
The investigation now turned to how Jabbar – a U.S. Army veteran who just lately held a six-figure job – was radicalized. He grew up Muslim in Texas and most just lately lived in Houston.
“This investigation is just slightly greater than 24 hours previous, and now we have no indication at this level that anybody else was concerned on this assault aside from Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia from the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters stated on Thursday. “The FBI is surging folks and property to this space from throughout the area and throughout the nation. Special brokers in discipline places of work throughout the nation are helping with potential points of this investigation and following up on leads. Additional groups of particular brokers, skilled employees, and sufferer specialists proceed to reach to offer extra investigative energy and help to the victims and their households.”
“Let us be very clear—what occurred right here in New Orleans was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” he added.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
The surveillance photographs launched by the FBI present Jabbar, dressed neatly in an extended mild brown coat, a darkish button-down shirt, blue denims, and brown costume sneakers, strolling alongside Dauphine St. close to Governor Nicholls St. at 2:03 a.m. CST – about an hour earlier than the assault. Additional photographs confirmed coolers Jabbar allegedly positioned on the road. Officials stated he planted improvised explosive units inside with the intention of inflicting added carnage.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched images of surveillance footage that exhibits Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour earlier than he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans, early Jan. 1, 2025. (Federal Bureau of Investigation through AP)
Federal authorities have been additionally looking out an Airbnb property in New Orleans rented by Jabbar that caught fireplace early Wednesday morning, in addition to Jabbar’s home in Houston.
Bourbon Street — well-known worldwide for music, open-air consuming and festive vibes — reopened for enterprise by early afternoon Thursday.
The Sugar Bowl faculty soccer sport between Notre Dame and Georgia, which was postponed by a day within the curiosity of nationwide safety, was performed Thursday night. The Joan of Arc parade within the French Quarter continues to be scheduled to happen Monday to kick off carnival season forward of Mardi Gras, stated Antoinette de Alteriis, one of many organizers. She stated they anticipate near its typical crowd of round 30,000 contributors.
The FBI has continued to hunt for clues about Jabbar however, a day into its investigation, the company stated it was assured he was not aided by anybody else within the assault, which killed an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mom, a father of two and a former Princeton University soccer star, amongst others.
The FBI stated that hours earlier than the assault, Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, posted 5 movies on his Facebook account through which he proclaimed his help for the Islamic State group and previewed the violence that he would quickly unleash within the famed French Quarter district. It was the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years, laying naked what federal officers have warned is a resurgent worldwide terrorism menace.
It additionally comes because the FBI and different companies brace for dramatic management upheaval, and certain coverage modifications, after President-elect Donald Trump’s administration takes workplace.
Raia careworn there was no indication of a connection between the New Orleans assault and the explosion Wednesday of a Tesla Cybertruck full of explosives exterior Trump’s Las Vegas lodge.
The New Orleans assault plans additionally included the location of crude bombs within the neighborhood in an obvious try and trigger extra carnage, officers stated. Two improvised explosive units left in coolers a number of blocks aside have been rendered secure on the scene. Other units have been decided to be nonfunctional.
Investigators additionally have been making an attempt to know extra about Jabbar’s path to radicalization, which they are saying culminated with him selecting up a rented truck in Houston on Dec. 30 and driving it to New Orleans the next night time.
The FBI recovered a black IS flag from Jabbar’s rented pickup and reviewed 5 movies posted to Facebook, together with one through which he stated he initially deliberate to hurt his household and buddies however was involved information headlines wouldn’t give attention to the “warfare between the believers and the disbelievers,” Raia stated. Jabbar additionally said he joined IS earlier than final summer season and supplied a final will and testomony, the FBI stated.
Jabbar joined the Army in 2007, serving on energetic responsibility in human assets and data expertise and deploying to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010, the service stated.
He transferred to the Army Reserve in 2015 and left in 2020 with the rank of employees sergeant.
A half-brother of Jabbar advised Fox News that the alleged New Orleans attacker had been radicalized and struggled to seek out himself.
Fox News spoke with Abdur Rahim-Jabbar in Beaumont, Texas, the place they grew up alongside three extra siblings.
Abdur stated that they grew up Muslim, alongside together with his entire household. He stated that Jabbar stepped away from Islam, however discovered his means again following his 2022 divorce.
Jabbar struggled to seek out himself all through his life, his half-brother advised Fox News. He stated that his half-brother joined the Army to “discover one thing, to set him straight, floor him, and possibly discover a viable profession path.”
Following Jabbar’s two divorces, his brother stated that he was “in search of some kind of steerage.” His half-brother blamed radicalization for the assault and stated that he didn’t see any indicators previous to the assault, in addition to expressing his condolences for the lives misplaced. He stated this “was not a direct reflection of his brother and the Muslim neighborhood.”
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A U.S. authorities official advised the Associated Press on situation of anonymity that Jabbar traveled to Egypt in 2023, staying in Cairo for per week, earlier than returning to the U.S. after which touring to Toronto for 3 days. It was not instantly clear what he did throughout these travels.
On Bourbon Street, flowers and candles have been organized as memorials to the victims, whereas yellow posts have been arrange on the encircling blocks. By Thursday night time, bouncers danced to music blasting from golf equipment, vacationers posed for images and a gaggle of road performers getting ready to flip over a line of individuals had no hassle attracting an enormous viewers.
Fox News’ Brooke Taylor and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
