NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The man responsible for the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people has visited New Orleans twice before, wearing hands-free glasses and recording video of the French Quarter. FBI officials said Sunday.
Shamsuddin Jabbar, a U.S. national from Houston, had also visited Cairo, Egypt, and Ontario, Canada, before the attack, but it was not yet clear whether those trips were related to the attack, Christopher said.・Assistant Director Raia said. At a press conference.
The attack early Wednesday morning was carried out by Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier from Houston. Police shot and killed Jabbar, 42, during a shootout on Bourbon Street, a world-famous street in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter for its festive atmosphere.
Federal investigators so far believe Mr. Jabbar acted alone.
“All of the details and evidence in the investigation support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” Raia said. “While there is no indication of an accomplice within the United States, we continue to investigate possible accomplices within the United States and outside our borders.”
Lionel Marcil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said the suspect in the case traveled to Cairo in the summer of 2023 and went to Canada a few days later.
“Our agents are getting answers about where he went, who he went with, and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here. ” said Mr. Mirchil.
The last confirmed victims of the New Orleans attack were a British man and a nursing assistant.
Jabbar had also traveled to New Orleans prior to the October attack. Mircil said the video shows the suspect riding a bicycle through the French Quarter wearing “meta-glasses” that can record and live stream.
President Joe Biden was scheduled to travel to New Orleans on Monday with First Lady Jill Biden to “express our condolences to the families and community members affected by the tragic attack.”
Suspect expresses support for the extremist group “Islamic State”
Mr. Jabbar expressed support for the Islamic State group in an online video posted hours before the attack. It was the deadliest Islamic State-inspired attack on U.S. soil in years and exposed a resurgence of the international terrorism threat that federal officials have been warning of.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that the country has faced “not only the constant threat of foreign terrorism…but also what we call domestic violent extremism over the past decade.” “We’re seeing a huge increase in the number of things.” ”
Jabbar booked the vehicle used in the attack more than six weeks ago, on Nov. 14, according to law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. .
A person familiar with the search said Jabbar had suspected bomb-making materials in his Houston home, and had a workbench and other dangerous materials believed to be used to make explosive devices stored in his garage. It is said that he was
Authorities found a crude bomb near the scene of the attack, believed to be an attempt to cause further carnage. Two improvised explosive devices left in a cooler several blocks away were made safe at the scene. Other devices have been determined to be non-functional. Investigators said Jabbar bought a cooler in Vidor, Texas, and gun oil at a store in Sulphur, Louisiana, hours before the attack.
The FBI said in a statement Friday that agents who searched Jabbar’s rented truck found two bomb-setting transmitters and bomb-making materials in Jabbar’s rented New Orleans home. He added that there was. Jabbar tried to burn down the house by starting a small fire in the hallway with an accelerant, but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived.
Mr. Jabbar, wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet, got out of the crashed truck and fired at police, injuring at least two officers before he was shot and killed by police. Citing the active nature of the investigation, New Orleans police declined to say how many shots were fired by Jabbar and the officers or whether any bystanders may have been shot.
Plans to strengthen security for Super Bowl
Police have used multiple vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon Street and Canal Street since the attack. Other law enforcement agencies also assisted city officials with additional security, New Orleans Police Department spokeswoman Reese Harper said.
The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras was scheduled to be held Monday night. New Orleans will also host the Super Bowl on February 9th.
In previous efforts to protect the French Quarter, the city installed steel posts known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. Posts have been withdrawn to allow delivery to bars and restaurants. They definitely stopped working after getting Mardi Gras beads, beer, and other debris on them.
By New Year’s Eve, the parking lot was gone. They will be replaced before the Super Bowl, officials said.
All victims identified
The New Orleans Medical Examiner’s Office has identified all 14 victims, the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest 63. Most of the victims were in their 20s. Approximately 30 people were injured.
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