The FBI has released new video footage that sheds light on the hours leading up to the deadly attack in New Orleans, giving the public a clearer understanding of the actions of the suspected terrorist, Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
The footage includes previously unseen clips showing Jabbar in the months prior to the attack, including moments he spent surveying the area.
A glimpse into Jabbar’s planning process
The newly released videos reveal that Jabbar visited the French Quarter months before the attack, using his Meta glasses to record the area. In one clip, he is seen testing the glasses in his rental home in Houston in October. He then takes the glasses out for a ride through the French Quarter, capturing video footage of the surroundings, that same month.
Forensic studies professor David Thomas, from Florida Gulf University, believes Jabbar was carefully planning his attack months ahead of time. “Think about when you’re driving down the road, you want to know what every point of entry is going to be, the most likely way to get in,” said Thomas. “It doesn’t look like he had planned on getting out, but if you were going to exit, then what is the most likely way to exit?”
Thomas says it appears Jabbar was likely thinking like law enforcement officers when planning his attack, considering how authorities would secure the area. This strategic thinking, combined with the use of surveillance footage, paints a picture of a carefully planned and deliberate operation.
The attack: Jan. 1
The video footage also shows Jabbar’s movements just hours before the attack on Jan. 1. Around 1:53am, Jabbar is seen leaving the first IED, or homemade bomb, inside a blue cooler at the corner of Bourbon Street and St. Peters Street. The cooler was later found a block away on Orleans Street after several people moved it out of their way.
One hour later, Jabbar is seen placing the second IED inside another cooler at the intersection of Bourbon and Toulouse Streets. These bombs, however, failed to detonate, which the FBI attributes to Jabbar’s lack of experience in handling explosive devices.
FBI explanation of the failed detonations
The FBI has revealed that Jabbar’s bombs failed due to incorrect materials being used for detonation.
“He did not have access to a detonator, so he used an electric match,” an FBI spokesperson explained. “He didn’t use the right material to set it off, and that is just indicative of his experience and not knowing what material would set it off.”
This inexperience may have been a significant factor in preventing the bombs from going off, though Jabbar’s intentions were clear, and his planning appears to have been thorough.
The brown coat and final connection
In a final twist, the long brown coat that Jabbar is seen wearing in the video footage was also discovered in the F-150 truck at the scene of the attack. This piece of clothing further ties him to the attack and the bomb placement, giving investigators more evidence to link Jabbar to the planned bombing.
The FBI’s release of this video adds significant context to the timeline of the attack and paints a clearer picture of Jabbar’s actions leading up to the incident. While his bombs may have failed, his detailed planning shows the dangerous potential of his intentions, and investigators continue to piece together the full extent of the plot.
