Half-Brother of New Orleans Attack Suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar Claims ‘This Isn’t the Person I Knew’ | US News
The half-brother of the suspect in the New Orleans attack stated that his actions did not reflect “the man I knew.”
“This wasn’t the person I recognized, nor was this the father or son I knew,” expressed Abdur-Rahim Jabbar regarding his half-brother Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who is alleged to have carried out the terrorist attack on the Bourbon Street area.
A pick-up truck drove into a crowd celebrating the New Year, leading to Shamsud-Din’s death in a confrontation with police. The incident resulted in at least 14 fatalities and left over two dozen people injured.
Abdur-Rahim, the suspect’s younger half-brother, spoke to a Texas-based television station affiliated with Sky News’s partner NBC News, saying, “It is a tragedy.”
“We’re all mourning this loss,” he remarked.
He expressed his sympathy for those affected by the attack.
“Our hearts, prayers, and thoughts are with the families of the victims and those who were there to witness this horrific event,” he stated.
While the suspect identified as a Muslim, his half-brother emphasized: “This does not represent Islam, Muslims, or the Muslim community in any way.”
Shamsud-Din Jabbar in Fort Johnson, Louisiana. Pic: Reuters
The FBI reported that Shamsud-Din was a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and army veteran from Texas. In a work video from 2020, he mentioned being born and raised in Texas.
According to the FBI, an Islamic State (IS) flag, firearms, and what seemed to be an improvised explosive device (IED) were discovered in his vehicle.
Before the attack, the suspect shared five videos on social media expressing support for IS, as stated by the agency.
For more details on this incident:
How the atrocity transpired
Did authorities in New Orleans fail the victims?
New Orleans has faced past carnage but has endured
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What do we know about the suspect?
In his initial video, Shamsud-Din expressed intentions to harm his own family and friends but lamented that the headlines would fail to highlight the “war between believers and non-believers,” according to Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counter-terrorism division.
Shamsud-Din had affiliated with IS “prior to this summer” and had even prepared a will, the FBI chief disclosed.
He had been divorced twice and had children. In earlier videos, Shamsud-Din identified himself as a human resource and information technology specialist.
