The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of the deadly New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, was inspired entirely by ISIS.
Tribune Online reports that the attack, which occurred early on New Year's Day, is being treated as an act of terrorism by the FBI.
In a latest development Thursday, investigators revealed details of Jabbar's actions and motives during a news conference, outlining a clear path of radicalization that led to the attack, which claimed 14 lives.
“So what I can tell you now is that I was 100% inspired by ISIS. And so we are investigating, we are investigating more social media, more interviews, working with some of our other partners to determine how to determine a little more about that connection,” said Christopher Raia, MP. deputy director of the office's Counterterrorism Division, at a news conference Thursday morning.
According to the FBI, Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas, began his preparations on December 30 when he rented a Ford F-150 pickup truck in Houston.
The next night, he drove to New Orleans and arrived in the city before the attack. Surveillance footage captured Jabbar placing improvised explosive devices at two locations in the French Quarter during the early hours of Jan. 1, including a cooler at the intersection of Bourbon and New Orleans streets.
In a series of videos posted to Facebook between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., Jabbar explained his motives, stating that he had joined ISIS the previous summer and intended to make a statement about what he described as a “war between believers.” and unbelievers.”
He also indicated that he had initially considered attacking his own family and friends, but abandoned the idea to draw more attention to his ideological claims.
At approximately 3:15 a.m., Jabbar drove his vehicle onto a crowded sidewalk on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. He later exchanged gunfire with police, during which he was fatally shot.
The FBI has recovered three cell phones and two laptops linked to Jabbar, which are being analyzed for additional clues. Investigators continue to examine his online activity and communication to better understand his network and potential accomplices.