THE domestic terrorist accused of ramming a pickup through a crowd of New Year's Day revelers pledged his allegiance to ISIS months before the rampage.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar posted five videos on social media where he proclaimed his support for ISIS as he traveled from Houston to New Orleans' Bourbon Street to carry out the terroristic act, the FBI said on Thursday.
In the first video, Jabbar, 42, explained how he initially planned to harm his friends and family but pivoted his attack because he was concerned the news headlines would not focus "on the believers and the disbelievers."
Jabbar, who FBI deputy Christopher Raia said was 100% inspired by ISIS, said in one of the videos that he had joined the terrorist organization "before the summer."
Federal investigators said Jabbar left behind a will and testament.
Raia said the FBI is now confident there are no accomplices, and it's believed Jabbar carried out the attack on his own.
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Investigators are still digging into Jabbar's past and what radicalized the US Army veteran.
Jabbar rented the white Ford F-150 pickup truck in Houston on December 30 before traveling to New Orleans on the evening of the 31st, Raia said.
Federal agent Raia said Jabbar "specifically picked out" Bourbon Street for the targeted attack, however, a motive behind the act has not been established.
"What I can tell you right now is that he was 100% inspired by ISIS," Raia said.
"We're digging more of the social media, more interviews, working with some of our other partners to ascertain more of that connection."
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