New Orleans Terror Attack: Suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar's Egypt Visit Scrutinized
Fourteen people were killed in the New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street.
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| Who was Shamsud Din Jabbar? Army vet turned New Orleans terrorist who threatened to kill family & saw ISIS in his dreams |
The suspect in the truck attack that killed 14 and injured many in New Orleans on New Year's had traveled to Egypt in 2023 for about a month, his half-brother told ABC News.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran and U.S. citizen from Texas, went to Egypt alone and told his family he was going "because it was cheap and beautiful," his half-brother, 24-year-old Abdur Jabbar, said.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar's trip to Egypt is part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Investigators are trying to find out what he did in Egypt, why he went, and who he met there. They want to know if he was radicalized before the trip or if it happened during the trip.
"The next important phase of the investigation is to find out how that radicalization happened and if it happened on that trip," Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told ABC News.
| New Orleans officials were warned in 2019 New Orleans city leaders were warned in a 2019 confidential physical security assessment that tourist-packed Bourbon Street was vulnerable to a vehicle-ramming attack because some of the existing blockade mechanisms were inoperable. New Orleans first installed metal security barriers on Bourbon Street in 2017 following the 2016 truck terror attack on Bastille Day in Nice, France. That same year, a report prepared by the infrastructure consulting firm AECOM noted that Bourbon Street "is often densely packed with pedestrians," presenting "a risk and target for terrorism." Two years later, a security assessment prepared for the French Quarter Management District by the security firm Interfor International faulted the bollards that had been installed. |
Radicalization and Allegiance to ISIS
Jabbar’s ties to ISIS emerged from evidence collected after the attack. Investigators discovered five videos posted by Jabbar on social media in the days leading up to the incident. In these videos, he pledged allegiance to ISIS and described himself as a “soldier of the caliphate.” He expressed a desire to “wage war between believers and disbelievers,” claiming his actions were inspired by the terror group’s ideology.
The videos highlighted a chilling premeditation. Jabbar initially planned to target his family and close acquaintances but ultimately shifted his focus to the Bourbon Street attack to garner more attention. In one recording, he lamented that harming his family would not generate the media coverage necessary to amplify his ideological message. Instead, he aimed for a larger audience by choosing a public and celebratory setting.
The Domestic Terrorism?
The FBI is leading the investigation, treating the attack as an act of domestic terrorism. Jeremy Schwartz, the FBI’s acting special agent in charge, stated during a press briefing: "These videos provide us with valuable insight into the suspect’s mindset and motivations. While we have no evidence of direct operational support from ISIS, the suspect clearly drew inspiration from their propaganda."
Local law enforcement and federal agencies have increased security measures across major cities to prevent potential copycat attacks. Public gatherings are being monitored more closely, and authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant.
