The terrorist behind the deadly New Orleans attack on New Year was wearing Meta-brand smart glasses as he drove into a crowd of celebrants on Bourbon Street, leaving 14 dead and 35 injured, officials said. Shamsud-Din Jabbar also visited Canada before the attack as FBI said they are investigating his movements leading up to the attack.
Authorities said they are investigating Jabbar's movements both within the country and globally in the days leading up to the attack that caused such devastation. FBI also revealed that Jabbar visited New Orleans in October, and used the smart glasses to film a bicycle tour of the French Quarter, apparently planning the terror attack.
Meta Glasses, Canada Tour and a Devastating Plan
Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent leading the New Orleans Field Office, said at a press conference on Sunday, " 'We have tracked that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 until July 3 of 2023.
"A few days later, he flew to Ontario, Canada on July 10 and returned to the U.S. on July 13, 2023.
"Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with and how those trysts may or may not tie into his actions here in our city."
Jabbar made two visits to New Orleans before carrying out the horrific attack, one in October and another in November.
During these trips, Jabbar used Meta-brand smart glasses to record a video while cycling through the French Quarter, Myrthil reported.
The footage captured him riding through the bustling streets where, weeks later, he would drive a rented white Ford F-150 EV, flaunting an ISIS flag, and ram into pedestrians.
"Jabbar wore a pair of Meta glasses when he conducted the attack on Bourbon Street, but he did not activate the glasses to live stream his actions," said Myrthil.
Surveillance footage showed Jabbar stopping at gun stores and a shop where he purchased one of the ice chests used to house the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) he planted.
Other new footage revealed Jabbar, dressed in a brown coat, placing the coolers containing IEDs on the busy streets of New Orleans.
His Deadly Plans
In online videos posted hours before the attack, Jabbar proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group. Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that he reserved the vehicle used in the attack on November 14, more than six weeks in advance.
A search of Jabbar's Houston home uncovered suspected bomb-making materials, including a workbench in the garage and hazardous substances believed to have been used to construct explosives, according to officials involved in the investigation.
Authorities also found crude bombs near the attack site, apparently intended to inflict further destruction. Two IEDs placed in coolers several blocks apart were safely defused, while others were determined to be nonfunctional.
Investigators revealed that Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, just hours before the attack, along with gun oil from a store in Sulphur, Louisiana.
Investigators searching Jabbar's rental truck found a transmitter designed to detonate two bombs, FBI said. They also found bomb-making materials at the New Orleans property he had rented.
Jabbar tried to set fire to the house by igniting a small blaze in a hallway using accelerants, but the flames extinguished before firefighters arrived.
After crashing the truck, Jabbar emerged wearing a ballistic vest and helmet, opening fire on police officers and injuring at least two before being fatally shot by law enforcement.
New Orleans police have not disclosed how many shots were exchanged between Jabbar and officers or if any bystanders were struck, citing the ongoing investigation.
