A terrible attack took place in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, leaving 15 people dead and more than 30 injured. The suspect behind this attack was Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old man who served in the US Army. Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd of people in the French Quarter of New Orleans. But after the attack, more shocking details about his plan started to come out.
Investigators discovered that Jabbar had rented a nearby property in the St. Roch neighborhood, just a short distance from the French Quarter. It is believed that he used this property to prepare for the deadly attack. The property was listed on Airbnb or a similar rental service. The FBI and other federal agents, including those from the ATF and Homeland Security, went to the rental property after the attack. What they found inside was disturbing. They discovered bomb-making materials. This raised fears that Jabbar may have been planning something even worse.
After the attack, police quickly evacuated the area, blocking off a three-block radius around the rental. This affected many tourists who were staying in the area for the holidays, leaving them without a place to stay. The authorities even told one couple, “not to count” on being allowed back into the rental property. A specialized container was seen being taken away from the property, hours after the fire was put out. This container is often used to carry dangerous materials, such as explosives.
Jabbar had rented a truck through the car-sharing app Turo. The truck was later found to have an ISIS flag inside it, along with a chest filled with explosives. Authorities believe this was all part of his plan. But the story does not end there. Jabbar also made videos during his trip to New Orleans. In the videos, he talked about his life, his divorce, and his plans. Some of the videos mentioned how he wanted to gather his family together for a fake celebration, with the idea of killing them. He also talked about his connection with ISIS and his dreams of joining the terrorist group.
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Jabbar’s brother, Abdur Jabbar, spoke to the media and said that his brother was “a sweetheart” and “a nice guy.” He insisted that what his brother did did not represent Islam. He explained that his brother had converted to Islam at a young age, and the attack was not about religion. Instead, he said it was more about radicalization, which led his brother to carry out the attack.
Hours after the attack in New Orleans, there was another explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. A rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the hotel, killing one person and injuring several others. The explosion was very close to the time of the New Orleans attack, and now authorities are looking into whether the two incidents are connected.
The attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas have left many people worried. How could someone like Jabbar, who was described as “smart” and “caring,” end up committing such a terrible act? Experts believe that radicalization played a big role in this tragedy. Radicalization happens when someone becomes influenced by extreme beliefs or groups, like ISIS. This is something that authorities are trying to understand better, so they can prevent future attacks.
The investigations into these attacks are ongoing, and authorities are working to piece together all the details. They are trying to figure out if other people were involved and how to stop similar attacks in the future. The New Orleans tragedy and the Las Vegas explosion serve as painful lessons about the dangers of radicalization and the need for better security to keep people safe.
Featured image via Screengrab
