There were multiple indicators, including the ISIS flag on Shamsud Din Jabbar’s truck after he drove through crowds in New Orleans early New Year’s Day and killed 15, injuring dozens more, of his political and theological persuasions.
For one, authorities report he had wanted to hurt his family but was concerned those actions to distract the media from what he considered more important: the battle between “believers & disbelievers,” a phrase adherents to Islam use to differentiate themselves from others.
But the suspect’s brother now has confirmed that while Shamsud Din Jabbar was “Christian” early in life, he had converted to Islam a long time ago.
Fox News notes that Abdur Jabbar, 24, was interviewed in Beaumont, Texas, “where he and Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, grew up.”
He confirmed the “now-deceased suspect had converted to Islam,” and was a Muslim “for most of his life.”
However, the brother claimed that the violence inflicted by the 42-year-old did not “represent Islam.”
“This is more some type of radicalization, not religion,” he explained.
The report noted that a next-door neighbor to the Jabbar residence also said Shamsud Din Jabbar had been loading lightweight items in the white pickup truck he used for the attack on Tuesday.
“He said he spoke with Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who told him he had gotten a job and was moving to Louisiana. The neighbor said he was under the impression Shamsud-Din Jabbar had gotten another job in IT,” the report explained.
The neighbor said he was shocked on learning Shamsud Din Jabbar was suspected of the mass murder in New Orleans.
Authorities have said Shamsud Din Jabbar drove a rented pickup carrying an ISIS flag into a crowed of New York revelers early Wednesday morning.
