Texas Veteran’s Lone Attack in New Orleans Declared an Act of Terrorism
FBI confirms assailant was inspired by Islamic State, acting alone in a deadly New Year's Day rampage
A deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, carried out by a U.S. Army veteran who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, has been declared an act of terrorism by the FBI.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native and former Afghanistan war veteran, used a rented truck to plow into a crowd of revelers, killing 14 people and injuring dozens before being fatally shot in a confrontation with police.
A Lone Actor
The FBI initially investigated the possibility of accomplices but concluded that Jabbar acted alone.
"It was premeditated and an evil act," said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia at a press conference.
Investigators identified Jabbar’s allegiance to the Islamic State through videos he recorded condemning music, drugs, and alcohol, as well as an Islamic State flag affixed to the vehicle he used in the attack.
Authorities are piecing together Jabbar’s path to radicalization, noting that he had once been a real estate agent and an employee at Deloitte before undergoing a drastic ideological transformation.
"We are still trying to understand how someone who was a decorated veteran turned into someone inspired by ISIS," Raia stated.
Family Struggles for Answers
Jabbar’s half-brother, Abdur Rahim Jabbar, expressed disbelief and sorrow over the attack, describing Shamsud-Din as intelligent, loving, and compassionate.
He attributed some of his brother’s recent turmoil to a difficult divorce, though he noted no signs of anger or radicalization in the weeks before the tragedy.
"This degree of maliciousness is not like him," Abdur Rahim said, adding that their father broke down in tears upon learning of the events.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native and former Afghanistan war veteran, used a rented truck to plow into a crowd of revelers, killing 14 people and injuring dozens before being fatally shot in a confrontation with police.
A Lone Actor
The FBI initially investigated the possibility of accomplices but concluded that Jabbar acted alone.
"It was premeditated and an evil act," said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia at a press conference.
Investigators identified Jabbar’s allegiance to the Islamic State through videos he recorded condemning music, drugs, and alcohol, as well as an Islamic State flag affixed to the vehicle he used in the attack.
Authorities are piecing together Jabbar’s path to radicalization, noting that he had once been a real estate agent and an employee at Deloitte before undergoing a drastic ideological transformation.
"We are still trying to understand how someone who was a decorated veteran turned into someone inspired by ISIS," Raia stated.
Family Struggles for Answers
Jabbar’s half-brother, Abdur Rahim Jabbar, expressed disbelief and sorrow over the attack, describing Shamsud-Din as intelligent, loving, and compassionate.
He attributed some of his brother’s recent turmoil to a difficult divorce, though he noted no signs of anger or radicalization in the weeks before the tragedy.
"This degree of maliciousness is not like him," Abdur Rahim said, adding that their father broke down in tears upon learning of the events.
