Recordings and interviews detail Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s growing discontent with US society and his increasing isolation even within his local Muslim community.
His electric ute was already headed towards New Orleans, travelling from his trailer home outside Houston and past the twinkling oil refineries to the east, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar began capturing a video on his phone in the dark.
Even as he found himself surrounded by fellow believers, in a community situated within walking distance of one mosque and a short drive from a second, he remained an outcast, several neighbours said.He holed up alone in his home, keeping visitors away and limiting contact with neighbours. A neighbour recalled that Jabbar had grown his beard long and had then cut it short again.
Investigators wrote in documents of finding more ominous items that Jabbar had left behind, including supplies that could be used for an explosive device: acetone, bottles of sulphuric acid and bags labelled as potassium nitrate. A relative of Jabbar’s, who did not want her name published for fear of being drawn into the case, said that even Jabbar and some of his brothers — who, like their father, converted to Islam — had lived largely secular lives. “I don’t think I ever heard the word Allah said,” she said.
After eight years of service, Jabbar attended Georgia State University. People who knew him saw no signs of religious extremism, though at least one friend described a growing interest in his Muslim faith.‘A sign of the end times’ His third divorce appeared to be a bitter one in which his ex-wife asked the court to order Jabbar not to make threatening phone calls or harm either her or their son. It was not clear if he had ever harmed them in the past. His ex-wife declined requests for comment.
Recordings about Islamic teachings were posted to an account on the audio website SoundCloud that appears to belong to Shamsud-Din Jabbar; the voice was verified by his half brother. In one of them, he said music had the power to lure people “into the things that God had made forbidden to us”, such as alcohol, marijuana, vulgarity and crime., a rap album by 50 Cent, and a series of murders in his neighbourhood. He said he worried that Muslims listening to such music were being drawn into evil.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Orleans attack updates LIVE: Multiple fatalities after truck ploughs into New Orleans NYE crowdAt least 15 people were killed when a man rammed his truck into a crowd in New Orleans. Follow for live updates.
Read more »
Two Young Victims Named After Deadly New Year's Eve Rampage in New OrleansA car ramming attack in New Orleans on New Year's Eve has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, with two young victims identified. The attack, which is suspected to be a terror incident, occurred when a 42-year-old man drove a vehicle into a crowd of revelers celebrating in the French Quarter.
Read more »
New Orleans New Year's Day Terror Attack Claims Lives of Aspiring Nurse, OthersA white pick-up truck sped through Bourbon Street, killing multiple people celebrating New Year's Day in New Orleans. Among the victims were a teenager with dreams of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two, and a former Princeton football star.
Read more »
Two New Orleans law firms charged with staging accidents for settlementsFederal indictment, more than five years in the making, claims attorneys and firms collected millions of dollars
Read more »
Driver Kills 10, Injures 35 in New Orleans Truck AttackA driver intentionally rammed a truck into a New Year's Day crowd in New Orleans' French Quarter, then opened fire, killing at least 10 people and injuring over 35. Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick described the incident as a deliberate act of violence, stating the driver aimed to cause as much harm as possible.
Read more »
Driver Kills 10, Injures 35 in New Orleans Truck AttackA driver intentionally rammed a truck into a crowd celebrating New Year's Day in New Orleans' French Quarter, killing at least 10 people and injuring over 35. The driver then opened fire on the crowd and police officers.
Read more »