Official White House announcements or news reports

Army Veteran Jabbar Kills 14 in New Orleans ISIS Attack; FBI Finds Rare Explosives

Jan 4, 2025, 10:28 AM

On January 1, 2025, a deadly vehicle attack occurred on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran and Deloitte employee, drove a pickup truck displaying an ISIS flag into a crowd of New Year's Day revelers. The attack killed 14 people and injured over 30 others. The FBI reported that Jabbar had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) and acted alone. Authorities discovered that Jabbar had planned to detonate two explosive devices placed on Bourbon Street using a transmitter found in his truck. Bomb-making chemicals were found at his home in Houston, Texas. The FBI noted that Jabbar used a very rare explosive compound that had never been used in previous U.S. or European terror attacks. Investigators are examining how he acquired the knowledge to create these explosives. Jabbar, who had 23 government awards including a medal for fighting terrorism, had traveled to Egypt in 2023, and officials are probing how and when his radicalization occurred. President Joe Biden provided an update on the investigation, stating that he has spoken with the families of the victims and plans to visit New Orleans. Biden also saluted New Orleans' "tremendous spirit" following the attack, saying, "People in New Orleans are sending an unmistakable message. They will not let the attackers' deluded ideology overcome us." In response to the attack and an explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, law enforcement officials in cities across the United States, including New York City, Chicago, and Washington D.C., have increased security measures out of an abundance of caution. DC Police Chief Pamela Smith announced a heightened security posture in the capital. Heightened security is particularly noticeable in high-profile areas such as Times Square and Trump Tower, as noted by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Memorials have been set up on Bourbon Street to honor the victims. The attacks have reignited concerns about domestic extremism and the persistent threat posed by individuals inspired by extremist Islamist groups.