US army veteran, IT specialist: What we know about the New Orleans truck attack suspect

FRANCE 24

2 January 2025 at 2:38 am·1-min read

The New Orleans truck attack suspect, identified by the FBI as 42-year-old US citizen Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an army veteran who served as an IT specialist before earning a bachelor's degree in computer systems. He was twice-married and experienced financial difficulties, according to divorce papers.

Hours after a truck ploughed into a crowd of New Year’s Day revellers in New Orleans, killing 15 people, the FBI identified the driver as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas.

Details have begun to emerge of Jabbar’s life and are being closely examined by investigators seeking clues for a motive behind the attack. The FBI said it was working to determine if Jabbar had any potential associations with terrorist organisations.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that, hours before the attack, Jabbar shared videos online that indicated he was "inspired by ISIS", referring to the Islamic State (IS) group.

In the videos, Jabbar discussed plans to kill his family and dreams that inspired him to join the Islamic State group, according to CNN.

A black flag linked to the group was also found in the vehicle used in the attack, the FBI said.

US army service, struggles to acclimate to civilian life

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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US army service, struggles to acclimate to civilian life

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