New Orleans Terror Attack Suspect Filmed Previous Visit To City On Halloween

The Bourbon Street terror attack suspect made previous visits to the city that he filmed.

The suspect in the New Orleans terror attack, accused of driving through a crowd on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day, had previously visited the city on Halloween, where he filmed his bike ride through Bourbon Street using Meta glasses.

On Sunday, the FBI revealed details into Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s recent travel ahead of the New Year’s Day attack, which included two visits to New Orleans, a visit to Tampa, Florida, and 2023 trips to Cairo, Egypt, and Ontario, Canada Axios reported.

According to Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent in charge of FBI New Orleans, Jabbar spent at least two days in New Orleans, starting on Oct. 30, when thousands of visitors were in town for Halloween. While there, he used Meta glasses to record a bike ride down Bourbon Street.

The FBI revealed Jabbar’s second visit to New Orleans on Nov. 10, but details remain under wraps. The FBI hasn’t revealed if Jabbar was scouting areas to perform the horrific attack.

Jabbar, a Houston resident, was also wearing Meta glasses when he carried out the attack on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day. However, the FBI has not found evidence that he was recording or livestreaming the incident. In addition to the Meta glasses, Jabbar was carrying a rifle, and officials stated that at least one of the ice chests containing IEDs was purchased in Texas.

President Biden will visit New Orleans on Monday. Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that she and NOPD Chief Anne Kirkpatrick will request a tactical expert visit this week to review security plans for Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl.

Officials have requested enhanced security for Carnival, which begins with parades on Monday and continues through Mardi Gras on March 4. The city will also host Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9.