Jabbar’s case is particularly unsettling because of his background. Once a decorated soldier, he served in Afghanistan before transitioning to a civilian career at Deloitte, a major consulting firm.
On New Year’s Day 2025, as fireworks lit up the French Quarter and revelers filled Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a pickup truck tore through the festive crowd.
Driving the news
Shamsud-Din Jabbar , a 42-year-old Texas native and US army veteran, used a rented pickup truck to mow down revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 and injuring dozens.- The New Orleans tragedy unfolded with chilling efficiency. Surveillance footage showed Jabbar maneuvering his rented F-150 Lightning around barricades, accelerating into a dense pedestrian zone in the heart of the city’s tourist district. Witnesses described chaos and carnage as the truck plowed through the crowd, flying an
Islamic State (Isis ) flag from its rear. Moments later, Jabbar was dead following a shootout with police, but the shockwaves of his act reverberated across the country. - The FBI labeled the attack an act of terrorism after discovering that Jabbar had pledged allegiance to Isis hours before the massacre. An Isis flag was found in the truck, and investigators confirmed he acted alone.
- Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police moments after his rampage.
Why it matters
- The tragedy has renewed scrutiny on the enduring influence of jihadist propaganda and the challenges of preventing lone-wolf attacks.
- The New Orleans massacre is the deadliest Isis-inspired attack on US soil in years, underscoring the ongoing threat of “mowing machine” tactics—using vehicles as weapons of mass destruction.
- Adding to the complexity, Jabbar’s profile defies typical expectations for jihadist recruits. A former soldier with a corporate job and no known connections to organized terror groups, his radicalization journey raises critical questions about how Isis’s online propaganda resonates with vulnerable individuals in the West.
- His descent into radicalism took family and friends by surprise. His half-brother, Abdur Jabbar, described him as “charismatic” and “loving,” with no outward signs of anger or hatred.
- However, personal struggles may have made Jabbar susceptible to Isis’s influence. He had faced financial difficulties following a divorce and was dealing with the aftermath of his father’s stroke. A series of religious audio recordings made by Jabbar a year before the attack, posted on SoundCloud, reveal his adoption of increasingly radical views, including condemning music and intoxicants.
Zoom in: Isis’s ‘mowing machine’ strategy
- The concept of using vehicles as weapons first gained traction with al-Qaida, which in 2010 published a guide in its
Inspire magazine detailing how to maximize casualties in such attacks. Isis later expanded on these ideas, emphasizing the psychological impact of ramming attacks. - The term “mowing machine” reflects the tactic’s gruesome intent: to plow through dense crowds, causing maximum carnage.
- Isis’s 2016 publication described using heavy vehicles like trucks to target pedestrian areas, using vivid language like “crushing bones” to inspire fear, a study by the Mineta Transportation Institute said.
- These attacks are devastatingly effective because they require minimal resources. A rented truck is readily available in any city, and the spontaneity of such attacks makes them difficult to detect or prevent.
- Low barriers to entry: Unlike bombings or shootings, vehicle ramming requires no specialized equipment or extensive planning.
- Anonymity: Attackers blend into normal traffic until the moment of action, catching law enforcement off guard.
- Experts say Isis has shifted its focus from organizing coordinated operations to inspiring lone actors through online platforms. Social media and encrypted messaging apps like Telegram have become critical tools for recruitment, allowing individuals to feel part of a global community without ever meeting another member of the group.
- Psychological vulnerability: Experts suggest that personal crises, such as Jabbar’s divorce and financial troubles, can create fertile ground for radical ideologies to take root.
- Decentralized terror: Jabbar’s attack exemplifies Isis’s decentralized strategy, where individuals act in its name without direct orders, making detection even harder.
The big picture: A global pattern
- According to the study by the Mineta Transportation Institute, vehicle ramming attacks have seen a marked increase globally since 2014, coinciding with a surge in jihadist propaganda advocating their use.
- 70% of the 184 documented vehicle attacks between 1963 and 2019 occurred after January 2014. These incidents resulted in 481 fatalities, highlighting the lethality of this tactic. Notably, jihadist-motivated attacks, which constituted just 10% of the total incidents, were responsible for 30% of all fatalities, underscoring their disproportionately high impact, the study said.
- Geographically, the United States has experienced 39 vehicle attacks, resulting in 25 deaths, while countries like France and the United Kingdom have seen deadlier incidents. The 2016 Bastille Day attack in Nice remains the most catastrophic, with 86 fatalities, and illustrates the devastating potential of these low-tech methods.
- Urban centers with dense pedestrian traffic are particularly vulnerable, and rental vehicles—used in 9% of all documented attacks—account for 29% of fatalities due to their strategic targeting of high-profile events and crowded areas. These statistics underline the enduring and global nature of the threat posed by vehicle ramming.
Between the lines
- Jabbar’s attack is part of a broader resurgence of Isis-inspired violence. Although the group’s territorial “caliphate” was dismantled in 2019, its ideological influence persists, particularly among disaffected individuals in the West.
- A reconstituted threat: Isis has increased its operations in Africa and Afghanistan, using social media to amplify its message globally.
- Unrelenting propaganda: The group has also exploited global events, such as the Israel-Gaza conflict, to bolster recruitment and fuel anger among sympathizers.
- The contagion effect of such attacks—where one incident inspires others—poses a long-term challenge for counterterrorism efforts.
- The group’s ability to inspire violence across continents underscores the enduring appeal of its narrative of grievance and apocalyptic vision. In the aftermath of the New Orleans attack, SITE Intelligence Group reported celebratory chatter among Isis supporters online, with one user declaring, “If it’s a brother, he’s a legend. Allahu Akbar.”
What’s next
Heightened security: Law enforcement agencies across the US are ramping up security measures for upcoming events, including Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl. New Orleans officials have vowed to improve crowd protection with more barriers and checkpoints. However, experts warn that no system is foolproof.
Counter-radicalization efforts: Preventing such attacks requires addressing the root causes of radicalization. This includes monitoring online platforms for extremist content and intervening with individuals showing early signs of ideological shifts.
Community engagement: Authorities are emphasizing the importance of family and community members in identifying and reporting behavioral changes that could signal radicalization.
Balancing freedom and security: Striking a balance between surveillance and civil liberties remains a key challenge.
(With inputs from agencies)
