The FBI has unveiled unsettling first-person footage showing ISIS-inspired terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar scouting New Orleans’ Bourbon Street ahead of his deadly New Year’s Day attack.
Captured using Meta smart glasses, the video provides a haunting perspective as Jabbar surveyed the French Quarter, where he later killed 14 people and injured dozens more.
A Chilling Look Into the Mind of a Terrorist
Jabbar, who was wearing the same smart glasses during the attack, had rigged his rented truck with explosives and improvised remote detonators. Authorities revealed that the carnage could have been far worse if police had not fatally shot Jabbar before he could detonate the bombs hidden in plastic coolers around the packed tourist area.
“We believe the transmitter was fully operational,” said Special Agent Joshua Jackson. “If not for the swift action of New Orleans PD, the devastation would have been much greater.”
Rare Explosives and Sophisticated Plans
The bombs, made with a rare compound never before seen in U.S. or European attacks, have left investigators searching for answers about how Jabbar acquired the materials. Officials confirmed he built the devices at his Houston home, where a bomb-making workbench was discovered.
Newly released video shows Jabbar strategically placing the explosives hours before the attack. Makeshift remote detonators, crafted from electric matches and other readily available components, were intended to be triggered from his truck.
Months of Planning and Disturbing Allegiance
The FBI outlined Jabbar’s meticulous preparations, including two reconnaissance trips to New Orleans in late 2024. On the day before the attack, security cameras in Texas recorded him visiting multiple gun stores, where he purchased the weapon used in the shootout with police.
Minutes before the rampage, Jabbar uploaded videos to Facebook, pledging allegiance to ISIS and declaring his intent to wage war against nonbelievers.
International and Domestic Movements Under Scrutiny
Authorities are piecing together Jabbar’s movements in the months leading up to the attack. He traveled to Egypt in June 2023 and Ontario, Canada, in July, with additional trips to Tampa, Florida. Investigators are examining whether these travels played a role in his radicalization or provided opportunities to obtain materials for the attack.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigations
Sixteen victims remain hospitalized, with eight in intensive care, while two police officers wounded in the shootout are recovering. The FBI continues to investigate Jabbar’s connections and the origins of his explosive materials.
The Bourbon Street attack serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing threat of domestic and international terrorism, as authorities work to prevent similar tragedies.
