The suspect in the deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans had recently traveled to Egypt, where he may have been radicalized, according to authorities. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas, was killed by police during the attack that left 14 people dead and dozens injured.
Jabbar’s travel to Egypt in 2023 was part of the ongoing investigation into his motives for the attack. Investigators are seeking to determine whether he had been radicalized prior to or after his trip to the country. The FBI has found evidence that Jabbar posted online videos proclaiming support for ISIS before the attack, and two US officials confirmed that he had contact with a direct ISIS representative.
The investigation also revealed that Jabbar set a fire at his rental property in New Orleans using accelerants, which was likely intended to destroy evidence of his crime. However, the fire burned itself out, and investigators were able to recover evidence including pre-cursors for bomb-making materials and a suspected silencer device.
ISIS has been promoting the use of vehicles as a terrorism tactic since around 2014, and the group’s supporters are believed to have celebrated Jabbar’s attack online. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a joint intelligence bulletin warning law enforcement agencies about potential copycats, citing the threat posed by vehicle-ramming attacks.
President Biden and his wife will visit New Orleans on Monday to meet with victims’ families and community members. The city has reopened Bourbon Street, but officials remain vigilant for potential threats.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-orleans-attack-latest-fbi-dhs-warn-copycat/story?id=117290889