A few hours before the assault, Jabbar planted two makeshift explosive devices, known as IEDs, inside two coolers on Bourbon Street. The FBI reported that a transmitter intended to trigger the IEDs was discovered in his vehicle. However, the bombs failed to detonate as Jabbar did not possess a detonator, investigators explained. Additionally, bomb-making materials were found at a nearby Airbnb where Jabbar was accommodated and at his residence in Houston, Texas. He attempted to set fire to the Airbnb by igniting a blaze in a hallway, but the flames extinguished before firefighters could arrive. The electric white Ford he was driving had been rented from the Turo platform six weeks earlier.
The families of the victims seek answers in the wake of the tragedy. The FBI disclosed that the suspect had traveled to Cairo, Egypt, during the summer of 2023, followed by a visit to Ontario, Canada a few days later. Special Agent Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI’s New Orleans field office stated during a press conference that investigations are ongoing to determine the suspect’s travel companions and the relevance of these trips to his actions. Jabbar stayed at a rented home in New Orleans from October 30 for a brief period, with CCTV footage capturing him cycling through the French Quarter wearing “Meta glasses” capable of recording or live-streaming. The perpetrator returned to New Orleans on November 10, and authorities are tracing his movements during that trip.
Jabbar also wore Meta smart glasses during the New Year’s Day attack, which were found on him posthumously. The 42-year-old Army veteran was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and had recently reconnected with his Muslim faith. After serving in various roles in the US Army, he was discharged in 2015, having been deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. Following his military service, Jabbar pursued studies at Georgia State University and subsequently worked at Deloitte and Ernst & Young. Marrying thrice and having children from two relationships, Jabbar faced financial challenges, as evidenced by court documents related to his divorces and accusations of financial mismanagement from his ex-wife. His family expressed shock and sympathy for the victims, emphasizing that this tragic turn of events was not reflective of the man they knew.
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