By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) – The FBI is investigating the travel history of the individual responsible for the tragic New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans that claimed the lives of 14 individuals. The incident involved a truck being driven into a crowd of celebrants. A senior FBI official disclosed to the press on Sunday that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran who had professed allegiance to the Islamic State extremist organization, was the perpetrator of the attack, acting alone. Jabbar was fatally shot by law enforcement following the violent episode, which also left numerous individuals wounded and has been classified as an act of terrorism.
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans field office, Lyonel Myrthil, stated during a press briefing, “We have confirmed that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, 2023. Subsequently, he flew to Ontario, Canada, on July 10, returning to the U.S. on July 13, 2023. Our investigative team is diligently working to ascertain the purpose of these trips, individuals he may have associated with, and the potential link to his actions in New Orleans.”
According to the FBI, Jabbar made multiple visits to New Orleans in the months leading up to the attack, with trips in both October and November. During these visits, the suspect resided in a rental property in New Orleans and recorded videos using Meta glasses while exploring the French Quarter, the district where the attack took place on Bourbon Street.
The New Orleans coroner’s office has identified all 14 victims of the tragedy, ranging in age from 18 to 63, with most victims in their 20s.
Investigative efforts by the FBI are ongoing, focusing on understanding the suspect’s movements, interactions, and motivations leading up to the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans.
