The FBI revealed that the New Orleans terrorist attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, visited the city twice in the weeks leading up to his attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people. During his visits, he used Meta smart glasses to record video of the area, including riding a bicycle through the French Quarter. Although he wore the glasses during the attack on New Year’s Day, they were not activated for a livestream of the event. The FBI posted a compilation of the clips online, which showed Jabbar testing the glasses and surveillance clips of him in the area prior to the attack. Investigators also found that Jabbar had placed two homemade bombs in the area that did not detonate.
Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran, acted alone during the attack and is not believed to have any U.S.-based accomplices. He had publicly claimed to have joined ISIS earlier in the year. The FBI is still investigating Jabbar’s associates, both domestic and abroad, including trips he made to Cairo in 2023 and Canada after his return. Authorities found two firearms in the investigation, including a rifle purchased in a private sale in Texas.
The FBI is working to determine the extent of Jabbar’s connections and activities leading up to the attack in New Orleans. The ongoing investigation is focused on identifying any potential accomplices or collaborators involved in the planning and execution of the attack.
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