New Orleans Terrorist Attacker Used Meta Smart Glasses to Scout Out Scene Before Attack, FBI Reveals
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released new information revealing that the gunman who attacked on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, used Meta smart glasses to record video footage of the area before the attack. Jabbar, who had rented a house in New Orleans in October and again in November, wore the smart glasses on his bicycle to record video and photos of the French Quarter while testing the capabilities of the technology.
The glasses, which were found on Jabbar’s person after the attack, appear to be regular sunglasses but allow the user to record video and photos hands-free and potentially livestream through video. Although the smart glasses were used during the attack, there is no indication that Jabbar recorded the incident himself.
Jabbar, who was killed by police after striking a pedestrian on Bourbon Street and killing 14 people, tested the smart glasses by recording video of himself looking into a mirror at the home he rented, according to authorities. The videos were posted by the FBI to demonstrate the features of the glasses.
In addition to the video footage, law enforcement officials stated that Jabbar had also stayed at a second location in Houston, where an explosive device and bomb-making materials were found.
The FBI confirmed that Jabbar had purchased two homemade bombs on November 1, which failed to detonate. Two more explosive devices and a rifle were also recovered by authorities.
Officials believe that additional testing will determine that the rare explosive compound previously detected in field tests is in fact pure RDX, widely available in the United States. The FBI’s investigation is still ongoing, as authorities continue to investigate any of Jabbar’s associates, domestic and abroad.
Jabbar, a native of Texas, had served in the Army before joining ISIS this year. An investigation into potential accomplices domestic and abroad remains ongoing.
