Brother says New Orleans terror suspect converted to Islam long ago: ‘This is more some type of radicalization’
Share:
The suspected attacker’s brother said he was raised Christian but was Muslim for most of his life. The brother of the New Orleans terror attack suspect said his actions were the result of “some type of radicalization” and did “not represent Islam.”.
![[Jabbar’s former classmate said the attack came as a surprise]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/02/13/11802309.jpg)
Just after 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day, police say 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd before opening fire, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens of others. Jabbar, who died in a shootout with police, had an ISIS flag in his truck. He also posted several Facebook videos hours before the attack in which he “pledged allegiance to ISIS.”.
![[A police officer patrols the street in New Orleans where officials say Jabbar rammed his truck into a crowd, killing at least 15 people]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/02/13/New_Orleans_Car_Into_Crowd_10082.jpg)
The FBI is now investigating the attack as “an act of terrorism.”. His brother, Abdur Jabbar, says they were both raised Christian but that the 42-year-old was “Muslim for most of his life.”. The brothers last spoke in mid-December. Jabbar did not mention anything about a trip to New Orleans, his younger brother said.
Chris Pousson, Jabbar’s former classmate who reconnected with him on Facebook in 2015, told the Times the attack came as a surprise. “This is a complete 180 from the quiet, reserved person I knew,” he said. “He wasn’t a troublemaker at all,” he added. “He made good grades and was always well-dressed in button-ups and polo shirts.”.
