By JACK BROOK, STEPHEN SMITH and SARA CLINE
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The man responsible for the truck attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day that killed 14 people visited the city twice before and recorded video of the French Quarter with hands-free glasses, an FBI official said Sunday.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Houston, also traveled to Cairo, Egypt, as well as Ontario, Canada, before the attack, although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference.
The attack early Wednesday was carried out by Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier, from Houston. Police fatally shot Jabbar, 42, during a firefight at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter.
Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone.
“All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” said Raia. “We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders.”
Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office, said the suspect in the attack traveled to Cairo in the summer of 2023 and then to Canada a few days later.
“Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here,” Myrthil said.
Jabbar had also traveled to New Orleans ahead of the attack in October. Myrthil said video shows the suspect riding through the French Quarter on a bicycle wearing “meta glasses” that are capable of recording or livestreaming.
President Joe Biden planned to travel to New Orleans with first lady Jill Biden on Monday to “grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack.”
Suspect proclaims support for Islamic State group
Jabbar proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group in online videos posted hours before he struck. It was the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years, laying bare what federal officials have warned is a resurgent international terrorism threat.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that the country faces “not only the persistent threat of foreign terrorism … for the past ten years, we’ve seen a significant increase in what we term homegrown violent extremism.”
Jabbar reserved the vehicle used in the attack more than six weeks earlier, on Nov. 14, according to law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Jabbar had suspected bomb-making materials at his Houston home, which contained a workbench in the garage and hazardous materials believed to have been used to make explosive devices, officials familiar with a search conducted there said.
Authorities found crude bombs in the neighborhood of the attack in an apparent attempt to cause more carnage. Two improvised explosive devices left in coolers several blocks apart were rendered safe at the scene. Other devices were determined to be nonfunctional. Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, hours before the attack and gun oil from a store in Sulphur, Louisiana, investigators said.
Investigators searching Jabbar’s rental truck found a transmitter intended to trigger the two bombs, the FBI said in a statement Friday, adding that there were bomb-making materials at the New Orleans home he rented. Jabbar tried to burn down the house by setting a small fire in a hallway with accelerants but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived.
Jabbar exited the crashed truck wearing a ballistic vest and helmet and fired at police, wounding at least two officers before he was fatally shot by police. New Orleans police have declined to say how many shots were fired by Jabbar and the officers or whether any bystanders may have been hit, citing the active investigation.
Enhanced security planned ahead of Super Bowl
Police have used multiple vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since the attack. Other law enforcement agencies helped city officers provide extra security, said Reese Harper, a New Orleans police spokesperson.
The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras was scheduled to take place Monday evening. New Orleans also will host the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.
In a previous effort to protect the French Quarter, the city installed steel columns known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. The posts retracted to allow deliveries to bars and restaurants. They stopped working reliably after being gummed up by Mardi Gras beads, beer and other detritus.
When New Year’s Eve arrived, the bollards were gone. They will be replaced ahead of the Super Bowl, officials have said.
All victims identified
The New Orleans coroner’s office has identified all 14 victims, with the youngest listed as 18 and the oldest 63. Most of the victims were in their 20s. About 30 people were injured.
