Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, killed at least 14 people when he drove straight into a New Year’s celebration in New Orleans.
In the car, he had bombs that had never before been used in a terrorist attack, reports NBC News.
It was just after 03:00 local time that it happened. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas who previously served in the US Army for several years, drove a Ford pickup straight into a crowd celebrating the New Year.
The killing occurred on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and at least 14 people died in the attack and several were injured. The suspected terrorist died after being shot by police.
Rare bombs in the car
An IS flag, weapons and suspected explosives were found in his rental car. Now sources tell NBC News that bombs that had never before been used in a terrorist attack were in the car. The bombs are very rare and have never been used in either Europe or the United States.
Now a major focus of the investigation is on finding out how Shamsud-Din Jabbar got hold of the bombs and how he learned to make them. The bombs never detonated when he drove into the crowd and it is unclear whether this was due to a mistake when he made them or something else entirely.
According to AP, he may have planned everything for several weeks and already in mid-November he booked the rental car that he used. According to the FBI, Din Jabbar also had with him a remote-controlled trigger to detonate the bombs.
Set the house on fire
Din Jabbar rented a house and shortly before the attack, he set it on fire, probably to destroy evidence, according to investigators. The FBI has found evidence that he made bombs in the same house that burned.
US President Joe Biden says he seems to have been inspired by the terrorist movement IS.
– Just a few hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media where he said he had been inspired by IS and expressed a desire to kill, he says.