How Nola terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar scouted out city while cycling around in Meta glasses months before killing 14
NEW Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar visited the city twice in recent months and used Meta smart glasses to film Bourbon Street.
The sadistic Texan appears to have scouted out the location he would carry out the sick attack and kill 14 innocent New Year revellers.
Jabbar stayed at a rental home in the city for a few days from October 30 and biked through the French Quarter with Meta glasses on.
The FBI released the information in a news conference on Sunday as they to continue to investigate how the 42-year-old carried out the shocking attack.
Jabbar also visited New Orleans on November 10 – with investigators still putting together details of the trip.
He was reportedly wearing the Meta glasses while he carried out the New Year’s Day rampage and the specs were found on him after his death.
But Jabbar had not activated them that day, the FBI said.
Meta’s AI-enabled glasses allow wearers to film, take photos, and make calls.
Footage from before the horrific attack appeared to show Jabbar wearing the glasses as he loaded his white pickup truck with weapons and explosives.
The car was parked outside his rental Airbnb that sits just two miles away from the Bourbon Street locations which he attacked.
The US Army veteran, who served in IT roles for the force, calmly loaded the Ford F-150 Lightning outside his rental while he appears to be wearing the glasses, CCTV footage shows.
Jabbar had rented the truck of app Turo and headed to New Orleans on New Year’s Eve.
At around 3:15am on New Year’s Day, the terrifying attack got underway with Jabbar appearing to drive up Canal Street before turning onto Bourbon Street.
Footage caught Jabbar ram the Ford through a police barrier by driving up onto a sidewalk and dodgy a car and bollards.
Police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said Jabbar drove the pick-up truck down Bourbon Street “at a very fast pace” and was “intentional” in “trying to run over as many people as he possibly could”.
After Jabbar killed 14 revellers and was killed himself, bombs were found inside the truck and two more were found planted in the area.
But the terrorist was not able to obtain military-grade detonators and had planned to use an electric match to set off two coolers containing bombs.
But, Jabbar never set the bombs off despite putting them in place ahead of the truck attack.
Jabbar was legally able to buy the guns he used in the sick attack, including a semi-automatic pistol and a rifle bought in Texas.
Investigators also found silencers for the guns before the attack, including one at the rental home he had been staying in.
Hours before the attack, the FBI said Jabbar posted five videos on social media where he proclaimed his support for ISIS as he travelled from Houston.
In the first video, Jabbar, 42, explained how he initially planned to harm his friends and family but pivoted his attack because he was concerned the news headlines would not focus “on the believers and the disbelievers.”
Jabbar said in one of the videos that he had joined terrorist organization ISIS “before the summer.”
The FBI is now confident there are no accomplices – and it’s believed Jabbar attacked on his own.
An ISIS flag was found on the trailer hitch of the truck and inside Jabbar’s bomb-making factory a Quran and religious texts were found.
FBI agents raided the ramshackle home and found a bomb-making workbench in a bedroom filled chemicals that can be used in explosives.
It has since been revealed that one of the 14 victims was the step-son of Prince William and Harry’s nanny.
Edward Pettifer, 31, was tragically run down and died from blunt force injuries in the attack.
Pettifer, who was visiting Louisiana with a friend, was later confirmed as one of the victims after names of the American victims were released.
His heartbroken family left a touching tribute to the Chelsea-born Brit saying they are “devastated” by his death.
He was described as a “wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many”.
They added: “We will all miss him terribly.
“Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.”
New Orleans New Year's victims list
THE New Orleans Parish Coroner's Office has identified all but one of 14 victims struck dead in the horror New Year's Day attack.
All victims died of blunt force injuries.
They are as follows:
- Andrew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, AL
- Kareem Badawi, 23, of Baton Rouge, LA
- Brandon Taylor, 43, of Harvey, LA
- Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, of Gretna, LA
- Matthew Tenedorio, 25 of Picayune, MS
- Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, of Gulfport, MS
- Nicole Perez, 27, of Metairie, LA
- Reggie Hunter, 37, of Prairieville, LA
- Martin Bech, 27, of New York, NY
- Terrence Kennedy, 63, of New Orleans, LA
- Elliot Wilkinson, 40, of Slidell, LA
- William Dimaio, 25, of Holmdel, NJ
- Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, West London
- Unknown Black female
Earlier reporting stated that 15 people had died – that tally included the suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar.