New Orleans Terrorist Attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar Radicalized by ISIS Online in Weeks, FBI Director Says
FBI Director Christopher Wray has revealed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who killed 14 civilians in a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, was radicalized by ISIS online within weeks.
Jabbar, 42, was inspired by the terrorist group’s ideology and used a rented Ford F-150 truck to plow through a crowd of people celebrating on Bourbon Street, before shooting at police and being killed in a shootout.
Wray described the threat posed by ISIS-inspired extremists like Jabbar as “the most challenging type of terrorist threat we face.” He explained that these individuals are often radicalized quickly, in a matter of weeks, and use crude methods of attack, making it difficult to detect and prevent their activities.
During an interview with “60 Minutes,” Wray also highlighted the increasing threat posed by lone-wolf terrorists, who are more difficult to detect and track. He noted that the FBI has arrested individuals, including a Pakistani citizen who planned to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, in an effort to prevent such attacks.
The FBI is still investigating the New Orleans attack and is exploring whether Jabbar had any accomplices. The agency is reviewing Jabbar’s activities, including his trips to Cairo, Egypt, and Ontario, Canada, in recent months.
Jabbar’s background was marked by a history of financial struggles and missed child support payments. He was a twice-divorced Army veteran who worked at a large consulting firm, but struggled with financial matters. Prior to the attack, he visited New Orleans twice and used his Meta smart glasses to take videos of his surroundings.
The attack has left many questions unanswered, including what triggered Jabbar’s radicalization and how he was able to plan and execute the attack. The FBI is working to uncover these details as the investigation continues.
