By Rick Rojas
Several months prior to the terror incident in New Orleans, the individual responsible biked through the vicinity, capturing videos of his intended targets with eyeglasses that had an integrated camera, according to investigators on Sunday. They reported he returned a few weeks later, likely to further his planning.
This information surfaced as authorities disclosed additional insights about the driver and the comprehensive preparation that preceded the assault, which resulted in 14 fatalities, numerous injuries, and left New Orleans confronting a wave of anguish and fear as it entered 2025.
Authorities have been working to construct a detailed timeline of the assailant’s activities. The investigation has involved meticulously recording his actions in the hours leading up to the incident, which consisted of loading firearms into his rented pickup truck and placing explosive devices in coolers at locations near where the attack occurred, specifically Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
A broader inquiry is tracing back over the years to comprehend how a 42-year-old Army veteran with a successful position at an international accounting firm became radicalized, professing allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization, commonly referred to as ISIS.
Investigations revealed that Jabbar had traveled to Egypt and Canada in 2023. However, authorities mentioned on Sunday that they had not yet established how, if at all, those trips influenced his developing ideologies or the planning of the New Orleans attack.
“Our agents are uncovering information about his travels, the individuals he encountered, and how these journeys may connect to his actions in our city,” remarked Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent in charge for the FBI in New Orleans, during a press conference.
New Orleans has been enveloped in sorrow since the attack, yet continues to move forward, reopening Bourbon Street to the public and preparing for the Super Bowl next month, in addition to the festive period leading up to Mardi Gras. A vigil took place Saturday evening on Bourbon Street, featuring a traditional second line. President Joe Biden is slated to visit the city on Monday.
”I firmly believe that only the power of prayer and faith in God will aid them and us during this period,” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry commented on Sunday, referring to the suffering experienced by the victims’ families and the wider community.
The incident concluded with Jabbar’s death in a gunfight with law enforcement, which left two officers injured. Officials commended the police for their rapid response, attributing it to preventing further devastation in the city.
Jabbar demonstrated allegiance to the Islamic State after a transformation that mystified and disturbed those who knew him. He displayed the group’s flag on the rented Ford F-150 truck utilized in the assault. In a video message recorded for his family, he stated, “I wanted you to be aware that I joined ISIS earlier this year.”
Officials indicated on Sunday that they still hold the belief that Jabbar acted independently in executing the assault, and they are continuing to investigate whether he had any deeper connections to the Islamic State. The rationale behind his choice of New Orleans as a target remains unclear, they stated.
Christopher Raia, an FBI counterterrorism representative, expressed that individuals like Jabbar — who are often radicalized through online platforms, utilize easily obtainable weapons, and operate alone or within small groups — constitute perhaps the “greatest terror threat” faced by the nation.
“They are challenging to identify, investigate, and disrupt,” he noted during the press conference on Sunday.
Investigators are also attempting to track Jabbar’s activities during his visit to New Orleans in November, which is the second known visit preceding the attack. The initial visit, where he filmed video footage from a bicycle, occurred in October.
Investigators discovered that he planted two improvised explosive devices in coolers at nearby locations shortly before he crashed his truck into the Bourbon Street crowd early on New Year’s morning. They indicated he seemed to have limited proficiency in constructing and utilizing explosives, and while the devices he created were rudimentary, it was believed that some could have potentially been effective.
Jabbar had a transmitter in the rented pickup. “We believe that the transmitter would have operated,” Myrthil noted.
One of the coolers had been relocated from its original position, officials stated, but the individuals who moved it were “unknowing Bourbon Street visitors” with no connection to Jabbar.
Both devices were deactivated by authorities shortly after the ramming incident.
Investigators confirmed that Jabbar rented the pickup weeks ahead of the attack and drove it to New Orleans from his residence in Texas, arriving in the afternoon of December 31. Investigators uncovered bomb-making materials at a property he had rented in New Orleans, where he had ignited a fire just before departing for the French Quarter. Officials reported that the fire extinguished itself within a few hours and was already out by the time firefighters arrived at the house.
