LA - Vehicle drives through New Year's crowd - Multiple fatalities reported - Bourbon Street New Orleans - January 1 2025

[CHEL]

'It was just bodies everywhere': Alabama woman hit by truck, then shot on Bourbon Street

She was hit by the truck and knocked to the ground, she told WPMI. At first, she thought that it was just her foot that was run over, but when she called her mom, they realized that she had also been shot.

www.wdsu.com

 

[Arkay]

Yet the bollards at 11 of 16 locations – including at the foot of Bourbon Street, where the attack began – were down for repairs on Wednesday, with officials saying they had become “unreliable and [had] been non-operational” ahead of New Orleans’ hosting duties for the National Football League’s Super Bowl on 9 February.

One factor they cited: beads thrown during the city’s renowned Carnival parades had clogged the barrier system.

WHAT IN THE WHAT WHAT WHAT?????

Officials in New Orleans knew that BEADS from Carnival had clogged the barrier system and then proceeded to do NOTHING?

Did they not know that there would be a New Year’s Eve eventually? Or any other celebration that could conceivably be a terrorist target?

Yes, the Super Bowl is an enormous deal and preparations had to be made for security there. But clearly it isn’t the only crowded event in New Orleans.

This is derelict on the part of officials.

It is Jabbar at fault for these murders, but there was apparent negligence here on the part of those in charge of safety.


IMO

 

[Cryptic]

Apparently he had been married three times. He filed for divorce in the second and third marriage. Reportedly his father is often quoting the Bible online, so perhaps the perp wasn't Muslim by birth.

I believe that you are right.

Evidently he converted to Islam "early" (teen ager?). By his twenties, however, he apparently had drifted away from his new religion.

Converts to any religion drifting away due to say, convert "burn out", an impulsive conversion, resolution of stresses that led to the conversion etc is not uncommon.

But.... he apparently "reconverted" to Islam again in his 40s. The reconversion included a pretty wide fundamentalist streak. I am thinking his re conversion was due to say, loss of social status, dead end jobs, stress from divorces etc.

 

[BrianJohnson]

I think you have a good summary regarding a significant number of terrorists. These terrorists can be religious based, ethnic- nationalist based, or politically based.

Yet, as you alluded to, a good number would not have committed terrorism had they not had one, and usually, a combination of the following:

- Loss of social status- and no easy way to regain it.
- Unemployed, or employment of the "dead end" type.
- Going "incel" due to an inability maintain meaningful relationships.
- Stress induced from divorce(s), estrangement from family members etc.

Add it all up, and terrorism can be, as you stated, "the only way out" of a life that has lost its meaning.

The last 2 to drive vehicles into crowds had very good well paid jobs - Jabbar was on a 6 figure salary as an IT engineer and the guy in Germany was a practicing psychiatrist, we had an attack at Glasgow airport a few years ago where a muslim with a truck full of explosives crashed into the airport terminal, fortunately they failed to detonate. The driver was a consultant/surgeon who specialised in diabetes. It is extraordinary how intelligent well qualified men in well paid jobs are radicalised to commit mass murder

 

[Cryptic]

The last 2 to drive vehicles into crowds had very good well paid jobs - Jabbar was on a 6 figure salary as an IT engineer and the guy in Germany was a practicing psychiatrist, we had an attack at Glasgow airport a few years ago where a muslim with a truck full of explosives crashed into the airport terminal, fortunately they failed to detonate. The driver was a consultant/surgeon who specialised in diabetes. It is extraordinary how intelligent well qualified men in well paid jobs are radicalised to commit mass murder

Your good exceptions can be noted. Please note that I said "a significant number of terrorist", not "all terrorists".

As for Jabbar being on a six figure salary, his living in a run down trailer might indicate that either he was not truly making 100K plus- or he had enough debts to make a good portion of his salary effectively meaningless.

In contrast to the good example of the Saudi Doctor, McVeigh was ecking out a living by selling "this and that" type stuff on the gun show circuit. Mike Page who attacked a Sikh temple in Milwaukee, was moving fast into the "unemployable" category after being discharged from the military due to misconduct and losing his trucking job due to drinking.

 

[Arkay]

The last 2 to drive vehicles into crowds had very good well paid jobs - Jabbar was on a 6 figure salary as an IT engineer and the guy in Germany was a practicing psychiatrist, we had an attack at Glasgow airport a few years ago where a muslim with a truck full of explosives crashed into the airport terminal, fortunately they failed to detonate. The driver was a consultant/surgeon who specialised in diabetes. It is extraordinary how intelligent well qualified men in well paid jobs are radicalised to commit mass murder

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/03/01/468692846/osama-bin-ladens-will-29-million-that-should-be-spent-on-jihad

Yes, and let it be remembered that Osama Bin-Laden was a member of one of the wealthiest families in Saudi Arabia, one of many children of a father who constructed a great deal of buildings there, and that Osama was no incel with his four wives and multiple offspring.

There are IMO no excuses. Islamic terrorists believe they are called to wipe out “infidels” from the Earth.

A street where people are drinking and partying is anathema to them and they tell us so in no uncertain terms. Particularly a street in America which they have deemed “the Great Satan.”

JMO plus facts

 

[BrianJohnson]

Please note that I said "a significant number of terrorist", not all terrorists.

As for Jabbar being on a six figure salary, his living in a run down trailer might indicate that either he was not truly making 100K plus- or he had enough debts to make his salary effectively meaningless.

His ex wives will have got 50% of his assets each time plus he will have to pay child support so I would guess a large chunk of his salary will have gone to his wives/kids

What I meant more is that intelligent professionals like doctors are taught to think, be rational, show empathy, i just can’t understand a doctor going on a killing spree, plus that army doctor who shot a load of people a few years ago

 

[indicolite22]

I believe that you are right.

Evidently he converted to Islam "early" (teen ager?). By his twenties, however, he apparently had drifted away from his new religion.

Converts to any religion drifting away due to say, convert "burn out", an impulsive conversion, resolution of stresses that led to the conversion etc is not uncommon.

But.... he apparently "reconverted" to Islam again in his 40s. The reconversion included a pretty wide fundamentalist streak. I am thinking his re conversion was due to say, loss of social status, dead end jobs, stress from divorces etc.

I have no problem with conversions or reconversions. The problem occurs when fundamentalism crosses the line - religion should not compel/allow you to break the law.

 

[dotr]

Law enforcement concerned about copycat vehicle-ramming attacks; Biden to visit New Orleans next week – as it happened

President and first lady to travel to New Orleans on Monday

www.theguardian.com

''Law enforcement and intelligence agencies are concerned about copycat vehicle-ramming attacks following the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, Reuters reported, citing a US law enforcement intelligence bulletin published on Friday.

Such attacks “are likely to remain attractive for aspiring attackers given vehicles’ ease of acquisition and the low skill threshold necessary to conduct an attack”, said the bulletin issued by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the US National Counterterrorism Center.''

 

[Arkay]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/03/us/bourbon-street-barricades-new-orleans/index.html

Again, I place the blame for this terror attack on the terrorist.

Yet I am astounded that apparently there were sturdy barriers available, called Archer barriers, but police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said she “did not know about them.”

Am I missing something? Or should a police chief have knowledge of safety devices available, particularly when the FBI and Homeland Security sent alerts that soft targets may be prone to vehicular attacks over the holidays?

IMO

Picture of Archer barrier from above link.

 

[ilovewings]

Because in my mind, this is a highly intelligent, accomplished family man, who failed miserable over and over and over, especially in his civilian life. He became a totally broken man who found "his only way out". And it was evil. He was not a long time trained, indoctrinated believer of ISIS. He had even given up Muslim in his 20s and 30s. He was 42.

I totally agree with you that enough is not being done to get deeper under the surface to root out any potential increases in ISIS indoctrination on US soil. But getting to that is not really through this guy, in my mind. Unfortunately he may become a trigger to increased acceptance of radical thought. His recent writings WILL show how the evil develops out of the Muslim faith.
But with this guy... I just think that the eventual fall to the violence was not a cause, but rather a means to an end.

Basically, I am agreeing with you. But find this case to be too complex to be a true act of terrorism.

Jabbar's half-brother was also searching for answers, saying Shamsud-Din Jabbar had been struggling to get past a recent divorce but that he showed no signs of anger just weeks prior to the attack.
"He was smart, funny, charismatic, loving, compassionate, humble and literally wouldn't hurt a fly," Abdur Rahim Jabbar told Reuters in an interview at his home in Beaumont, Texas. "That's why it's so devastating. This degree of maliciousness is not like him. We are trying to understand what changed, too."
Shamsud-Din Jabbar had recently renewed his Muslim faith after abandoning it in his 20s and 30s, his half-brother said.
He appeared to have made a series of religious audio recordings 11 months ago that contained radical views on the evils of music as well as more mainstream Islamic views such as condemning drugs and alcohol. "One of the signs of the end of times will be that some groups of Muslims will think that playing music is no longer sinful," he said, adding that "Allah will punish them with an earthquake and transformation."

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/police-probe-motive-new-orleans-truck-rampage-2025-01-02/

no situation is 100% of whatever the cause- humans are complex, but IMO this case is clearly a case of a man who became radicalized by a terror group and carried out a terror attack--- just as ISIS demands from its loyal subjects - this man is a terrorist.

 

[justtrish]

To be honest, it's disgraceful that the media is focusing on this as the problem, and not the fact that we live in a society where terrorists could kill us and our children at any moment.

100% YES!

Those bollards didn't prevent the terrorist from walking in and placing 2 coolers with IEDs in them along the street. If those would have went off, I'd say way more than 15 would have died. Bollards wouldn't stop that and i could happen again tomorrow bollards or no bollards, police or no police. There is no way to prevent everything and it's my understanding even if the bollards were up, the guy could have still driven the truck around them on the sidewalk like he did when he went around the police car. This would have still happened. They need to talk about those who wish to commit crimes like this and WHY and HOW to prevent them.

 

[Cryptic]

What I meant more is that intelligent professionals like doctors are taught to think, be rational, show empathy, i just can’t understand a doctor going on a killing spree, plus that army doctor who shot a load of people a few years ago

I can understand, and support, your point.

As a side note in support of your observation.....

The founding "godfather" of Egypt's Islamic Brotherhood was either a medical doctor, or an engineer- all with good life options. Likewise, Mohammad Attah, the lead pilot on 9/11, and who had brought Al Queda's dormant "Planes" plan back to life with a "we can actually do it attitude" was a German educated civil engineer. And.... the terrorist who duped and beheaded Daniel Pearl had an elite level university education (economics?) from the United Kingdom.

 

[Zinn]

His ex wives will have got 50% of his assets each time plus he will have to pay child support so I would guess a large chunk of his salary will have gone to his wives/kids

Each spouse in a divorcing couple typically retains 50% of their joint assets (and debt) accrued during the marriage. In his most recent divorce, there was a settlement and he made reference in a court document to awaiting his portion of the settlement, I believe in 2022. It was not a case of him giving away *his* assets. Both parties typically have a standard of living adjustment after dividing joint assets.

 

[vls12345]

Business, divorce records offer expanded window on New Orleans terror attack suspect's time in Georgia

Georgia State University previously confirmed he was a student at the Downtown Atlanta college from 2015-17 and earned a degree.

www.11alive.com

 

[Simply Southern]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/03/us/bourbon-street-barricades-new-orleans/index.html

Again, I place the blame for this terror attack on the terrorist.

Yet I am astounded that apparently there were sturdy barriers available, called Archer barriers, but police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said she “did not know about them.”

Am I missing something? Or should a police chief have knowledge of safety devices available, particularly when the FBI and Homeland Security sent alerts that soft targets may be prone to vehicular attacks over the holidays?

IMO

Picture of Archer barrier from above link.

View attachment 555462

This clip was on the Today Show. It amazes me what's coming from this Chief of Police.
They should have received the memo from Homeland Security dated December 6th addressing vehicle security with crowds. I would have thought a planning meeting for security prior to the Sugar Bowl. Apparently they're only focused on the Super Bowl.
Moo

 

[Arkay]

100% YES!

Those bollards didn't prevent the terrorist from walking in and placing 2 coolers with IEDs in them along the street. If those would have went off, I'd say way more than 15 would have died. Bollards wouldn't stop that and i could happen again tomorrow bollards or no bollards, police or no police. There is no way to prevent everything and it's my understanding even if the bollards were up, the guy could have still driven the truck around them on the sidewalk like he did when he went around the police car. This would have still happened. They need to talk about those who wish to commit crimes like this and WHY and HOW to prevent them.

I agree,@justtrish, that bollards are not everything, and that’s why I support frozen zones which completely block access to vehicular traffic.

I think of the safety precautions we all take in life on the off chance that something dreadful may happen.

We strap our young children and grandchildren into approved car seats, we put safety latches on cabinet doors when they are toddlers, we have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in our homes, etc. to ensure that if the unlikely disaster does happen, we have done what we can to ensure our family’s survival.

Like all parents and grandparents here, I did everything I could to protect my family.

However, I couldn’t protect my daughter when she was 19 and working a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. She survived, but people I know did not.

Therefore, since we do not know if, when, and where a terrorist attack is being planned for a location in which we may find ourselves, I am 100% in favor of adequately utilizing whatever is proven to save lives.

I see it as leveling up the safety precautions we already take in our homes and families, but these events must be made secure by the authorities in charge.

IMO there is no one-size-fits-all profile of an Islamist terrorist other than a bone-deep belief to annihilate non-believers. It is an ideology and a goal that they profoundly maintain.

After the fact is too late. Just like a fire in our home if we didn’t have smoke detectors.

JMO

 

[shetalksinstereo]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/03/us/bourbon-street-barricades-new-orleans/index.html

Again, I place the blame for this terror attack on the terrorist.

Yet I am astounded that apparently there were sturdy barriers available, called Archer barriers, but police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said she “did not know about them.”

Am I missing something? Or should a police chief have knowledge of safety devices available, particularly when the FBI and Homeland Security sent alerts that soft targets may be prone to vehicular attacks over the holidays?

IMO

Picture of Archer barrier from above link.

View attachment 555462

It's unconscionable that they didn't have these streets secured. We have a block party once a month during the summer in our downtown and concrete barriers are put up to physically block the street. We are a city of 25k people. It's a common safety precaution if people will be in the street for an organized event, not just to prevent a terrorist attack, but to prevent any vehicle entry, by intention or accident.

 

[justtrish]

I agree,@justtrish, that bollards are not everything, and that’s why I support frozen zones which completely block access to vehicular traffic.

I think of the safety precautions we all take in life on the off chance that something dreadful may happen.

We strap our young children and grandchildren into approved car seats, we put safety latches on cabinet doors when they are toddlers, we have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in our homes, etc. to ensure that if the unlikely disaster does happen, we have done what we can to ensure our family’s survival.

Like all parents and grandparents here, I did everything I could to protect my family.

However, I couldn’t protect my daughter when she was 19 and working a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. She survived but people I know did not.

Therefore, since we do not know if, when, and where a terrorist attack is being planned for a location in which we may find ourselves, I am 100% in favor of adequately utilizing whatever is proven to save lives.

I see it as leveling up the safety precautions we already take in our homes and families, but these events must be made secure by the authorities in charge.

IMO there is no one-size-fits-all profile of an Islamist terrorist other than a bone-deep belief to annihilate non-believers. It is an ideology and a goal that they profoundly maintain.

After the fact is too late. Just like a fire in our home if we didn’t have smoke detectors.

JMO

Oh I agree @Arkay we should always try to take all the precautions we can. I just was more commenting on the over focus on the bollards as if THAT would have stopped this man if they were there instead of police cars blocking the way. It seems they would not have either due to him going on the sidewalk and right into people in front the of the police. I don't want the focus to be on how this would not have happened if those things would have been there because with what we know right now, it seems it still would have been possible. he sure did walk the coolers right in. Not sure why they didn't go off, but maybe he didn't detonate them or in the aftermath of him crashing he just started shooting instead of remembering he was going to detonate the IEDs.. if he did detonate them, many more would have been harmed/killed.

I think some just want to find something to blame other than the terrorist. They are more upset that bollards were being replaced and not up than they are that a man decided to commit this horrific act. These evil doers seem to find ways around the safety measures we take. It's sad that LE and those charged with trying to make places as safe as can be have to get all the things right 100% of the time and the terrorist just has to get it right once.

 

[GRT]

SBM. What else does it take to be a true Islamist, apart from hating non-Muslims and justifying/enacting their murder in the name of religion? IMO it doesn't matter how he arrived there. When they raided his home in Texas, they found a bomb making operation and the Koran open on a certain page. He was devout by the accounts of people who knew him. If he was a moderate, he would not have put a stain on his religion.

Oh, he wasn't moderate. He was evil. He was an extremist. Those can be found in all religions. And we know he was a terrorist.

Along with his Koran(s), he had a Bible and other religious texts.

Being "devout" doesn't make one an Islamist. An Islamist is a true believer who thinks Islam should be the law of the land--and they're willing to kill for that cause.

Jabbar wasn't focused like that -- he said his original plan was to kill his family. There's no political statement there, however.

So, and this is just MOO, he was an evil bast*rd, and he was Muslim, obviously, but I don't think he was an Islamist in the truest sense of the word.