 "Jabbar was wearing Meta smart glasses during the New Year’s Day attack. Image courtesy: FBI/Reuters")
The man behind the truck attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day was known to wear Meta smart glasses.
But what exactly are they, and how might they be connected to the incident?
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The attack claimed the lives of fourteen people and left at least 35 others injured when the driver of a pick-up truck deliberately targeted revellers in the French Quarter.
The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was shot during a gunfire exchange at the scene of the horrific crash involving a rented pick-up truck on Bourbon Street, a location known globally for its lively atmosphere in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter.
Why the New Orleans attacker wore Meta smart glasses
On Sunday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that the attacker had visited the city twice in the weeks leading up to the incident and used Meta smart glasses to record video of the area.
At a press briefing, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said that Shamsud-Din Jabbar had also travelled to Cairo and Canada before the attack. However, any potential links between those trips and the attack remain unclear.
Jabbar made two trips to New Orleans in the months before the attack: first in October and again in November.
FBI Special Agent Lyonel Myrthil explained that Jabbar used Meta glasses, made by Facebook’s parent company, to record footage as he cycled through the French Quarter as “he plotted this hideous attack.”
The smart glasses, designed for hands-free video recording, likely allowed him to discreetly gather detailed visuals of the area. These glasses were recovered from Jabbar after he was killed by authorities, according to a report by The Washington Post.
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Myrthil added that Jabbar was in New Orleans again on November 10.
Jabbar was wearing Meta smart glasses during the New Year’s Day attack, but officials confirmed he did not activate the livestream function.
Notably, the FBI released a collection of video clips online, which included footage of Jabbar testing the glasses in front of a mirror and security footage showing him in the area before the attack. The FBI blurred bystanders in the released clips.
What we know about the attacker’s trips
Shamsud-Din Jabbar , a US Army veteran, first visited New Orleans in late October, travelling from his home in Texas.
According to the FBI, he had also travelled to Egypt and Canada in the two years prior, though his activities during those trips remain unclear.
FBI Special Agent Myrthil said, “Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here.”
During his first visit, as shown in video footage released by the FBI, Jabbar rode a bicycle slowly through the iconic French Quarter while using Meta smart glasses to film the area.
He made another trip to the city on November 10, the FBI confirmed.
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Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
The 42-year-old US Army veteran grew up in Beaumont, a city in eastern Texas near the Louisiana border.
He was raised in a Muslim family but left the religion for many years before recently returning to his faith, according to his brother.
Jabbar’s now-removed LinkedIn profile indicated that he served in various roles within the US Army, including human resources and IT, until his discharge in 2015. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.
His most recent residence was in Houston, Texas.
How security has become a major concern ahead of other events now
In the aftermath of the New Year’s Day attack, police have used vehicles and barricades to block traffic at the intersections of Bourbon and Canal streets. Other law enforcement agencies have stepped in to support New Orleans officers with heightened security measures, according to Reese Harper, a spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department.
The city faces more challenges as it prepares for upcoming events, including the first parade of the Carnival season leading to Mardi Gras on Monday evening and the Super Bowl on February 9.
Earlier, New Orleans installed steel bollards in the French Quarter to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. These bollards were designed to retract for deliveries to businesses. However, they stopped working when they became clogged with debris from Mardi Gras celebrations, including beads and beer.
By New Year’s Eve, the bollards were no longer in place. Mayor LaToya Cantrell acknowledged that the city remains unsure whether the new bollards currently being installed in the French Quarter would be capable of stopping a similar vehicle attack.
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to visit New Orleans to “grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack.”
After signing the Social Security Fairness Act on Sunday, Biden told journalists that his message to the grieving families would be “personal.”
He said, “I’ve been there. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody that’s just had such a tragic loss, my message is going to be personal if I get to get them alone.”
Federal officials recovered two undetonated explosive devices that attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar had placed. Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the ATF credited the quick response of New Orleans police for preventing the devices from being activated. Both were equipped with receivers, and a transmitter was found in Jabbar’s truck.
Jabbar exited the crashed vehicle wearing a ballistic vest and helmet, opening fire on police and injuring two officers before he was shot.
Bomb-making materials were later found at Jabbar’s home, including RDX, a chemical widely available in the US. Jackson revealed that Jabbar had attempted to burn down his rental house by starting a small fire, but the flames were extinguished before firefighters arrived.
All 14 victims of the New Year’s attack have now been identified. The last victim named was Latasha Polk, a certified nursing assistant and mother of a 14-year-old, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry confirmed at a news conference.
With inputs from agencies