The younger brother of New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar is reportedly blaming “radicalization” for his relative's shooting spree that left 15 people dead and scores more injured.
Abdur Jabber told The New York Times that Shamsud-Din was a practicing Christian in his early years in Beamont, Texas, but then turned to the Muslim faith and spent most of his life studying Islam.
But Abdur noted: “What he did does not represent Islam. It’s more of a kind of radicalization, not religion.”
Abdur said two weeks ago he had his last conversation with Shamsud-Din, who never mentioned anything about a plan to attack Louisiana's famous French Quarter.
He said Shamsud-Din joined the army because he didn't know what to do with his life and needed discipline. Shamsud-Din was reportedly deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan at the height of those wars.
As we reported … Shamsud-Din rented a pickup truck and plowed through a large group of New Year's Eve revelers along Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Shamsud-Din then died during a gun battle with police officers.
According to police, fifteen people were fatally mowed down and at least 30 others were injured in the attack, which authorities described as a terrorist attack.
The FBI and local authorities found an Islamic State flag attached to the pickup truck — and a potential explosive device inside the vehicle. The Islamic State, better known as ISIS, is a brutal terrorist group operating from the Middle East.