ISIS-Inspired New Orleans Terrorist Suspect ‘Used Meta Smart Glasses to Plan’ New Year's Day Attack That Left 14 Dead and Dozens Injured
Shamsud-Dim Jabbar visited Bourbon Street months before the terrorist attack.
Jan. 5 2025, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Shamsud-Dim Jabbar, the man responsible for the New Orleans terrorist attack, was caught on local security cameras months before he drove a truck through a crowd of people on Bourbon Street.
Jabbar reportedly used smart glasses to record the area where he later carried out the deadly rampage, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Shamsud-Dim Jabbar reportedly wore Meta glasses in the area.
According to the FBI, Jabbar, an Army veteran who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, visited the city in October, spending at least two days there.
During his visit, he used Meta smart glasses to capture footage of himself riding a bicycle through the French Quarter, the same area where the attack would ultimately occur.
Despite wearing the smart glasses at the time of the attack, authorities confirmed that Jabbar did not activate them to document the horrific act, which resulted in the loss of 14 lives and numerous injuries.
An FBI spokesperson stated that Jabbar had started residing in a rental home in New Orleans towards the end of October 2024, indicating a premeditated and calculated approach to executing the attack.
Jabbar is accused of killing at least 14 people.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agents said they found bomb-making materials inside an Airbnb rental just a few blocks from the scene of devastation.
A small fire the morning before the attack led to evacuations of nearby homes as bomb-sniffing dogs scoured the area. Neighbors said the mad rush of officials was chilling.
New Orleans were shaken by the attack.
Locals in the area said the events justifiably shook them.
Bob Koenig, a resident there, told WVUE: "They said they found bomb-making material in the yellow house and wanted the bomb squad to look it over."
Another neighbor added: "It's absolute insanity."
A third person explained: "I think it's crazy. People are frustrated, their mind is gone, and they want to take it out on innocent people."
Authorities are investigating a link between the Bourbon Street attack and a nearby Airbnb.
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Authorities say Jabbar drove a pickup truck with an ISIS flag tied to the back into a crowd of New Year's revelers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 and injuring many others. Jabbar later died in a fiery shootout with police.
Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, told reporters: "We know that he specifically picked out Bourbon Street, not sure why."
He added: "He was 100 percent inspired by ISIS."
FBI officials said Jabbar posted five videos on his Facebook account in the hours before the attack in which he aligned himself with the terrorist organization. He said he had joined the militant group last summer.
