I Joined ISIS: The New Orleans Attacker’s Secret Radicalization
A man identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a decorated Army veteran, was at the helm of a truck that plowed through crowds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 people and wounding many more, in a New Year’s Day attack. The predominantly Muslim jihadist group, the Islamic State (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack. Jabbar, a senior solutions specialist at the international accounting firm Deloitte, was known as a devoted family man and a decorated Army veteran. In a chilling video message, Jabbar revealed his own radicalization, saying he had joined ISIS earlier that year and wished for his family to witness the killing of “apostates” before making the attack.
However, Jabbar’s friends and family were shocked by the news, with his half-brother, Abdur Jabbar, stating, “It’s just hard to believe – it’s insane. It’s unlike him.” Jabbar’s wife and two daughters were helplessly watching the attack unfold, as he promoted violence and led the charge into the street, shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is the greatest) before he was eventually killed by police.
The FBI is still trying to determine how and why Jabbar’s transformation into an extremist occurred without detection. However, new details emerging reveal Jabbar’s descent into a more conservative and eventually, a darker interpretation of Islam, which culminated in his decision to pledge allegiance to ISIS.
Before the attack, Jabbar had been communicating with his family, telling them he would record a video message “for their safety” and revealing his plan to orchestrate a “celebration” and then kill “apostates.” He also ominously warned of an ingredient in explosives and threatened violence. In a November 2022 video, he mentioned that music had the power to lure people into sin, predicting the signs of the end times and suggesting a connection between a rapper’s album and a series of murders.
The FBI is investigating how Mr. Jabbar transitioned from blaming Muslims for straying from the right path to calling for the killing of non-Muslims. His recordings showed a growing conservatism in his beliefs, but seemingly not violent. An expert on Islamic extremism, Nasser Weddady, stresses that the content of the recordings alone is not enough to justify violent acts.
The attacks have left the community, which is primarily made up of African-Americans who practice Islam, in a state of shock, with some residents expressing concern over the attention the area is receiving. The Bilal Mosque, where Jabbar had reportedly attended without being seen by the congregants, has seen attention as a result, with at least one speaker making anti-Semitic remarks. The community is grappling with the situation, as some of its residents hope to distinguish their community from the beliefs promoted by Jabbar.