Investigators find bomb making material, ‘Quran open to a passage glorifying violence’ at Shamsud-Din’s North Houston trailer home

Investigators on Jan 2 found bomb-making materials, a Quran open to a passage glorifying violence, children’s toys, and signs of a life spiraling into chaos at alleged ISIS associate Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s North Houston trailer home.

Jabbar (42) — a New Orleans US army veteran, who pledged allegiance to ISIS drove a rented Ford F-150 Lightning into the heart of Bourbon Street, mowing down at least 15 revelers at 3 am in a gruesome rampage, and leaving dozens injured, while Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police. Federal investigators have ruled it an act of terrorism.

The video posted by the New York Post showed a workbench in Jabbar’s bedroom set up for assembling explosives. Nearby, his Quran stood prominently atop a bookshelf, opened to Verse 9:111, which reads:

“They fight in Allah’s cause, and slay and are slain; a promise binding…” The verse, widely interpreted as a call to violence by extremist ideologies, cast a haunting shadow over his already sinister acts.

This passage, investigators believe, fueled Jabbar’s radicalization. It was the same ideology he embraced in chilling videos posted online minutes before his attack, where he declared his allegiance to ISIS and issued threats, including to his own family.

A chaotic scene

The aftermath of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) raid on Jabbar’s trailer painted a picture of a man living on the edge. The home was in disarray, with the front door kicked down, cabinets flung open, and furniture overturned.

His main bedroom held a keffiyeh in the closet and bomb-making tools on the workbench— ominous signs of his dark turn. Despite the mess, the home seemed eerily like he had just left, with clothes and belongings scattered about.

Red flags

Jabbar’s trailer home painted a grim portrait of his descent into extremism. Chemical residues and bottles filled the property, with an inventory left behind by FBI agents listing compounds commonly used in bomb-making. A rolled-up prayer rug and numerous Islamic books further hinted at his radicalization.

Yet, the home also bore traces of his fragmented personal life. A back bedroom was cluttered with children’s toys and bunk beds—remnants of his role as a father to two daughters, aged 15 and 20.

Hours before his attack, Jabbar told neighbors he was leaving for New Orleans for a new IT job. The lie was soon laid bare as the same white truck he drove off in became his weapon of mass destruction.

A veteran’s downfall

Once an Army staff sergeant, Jabbar served ten years, including deployments to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2019. But after leaving active duty in 2015 and the reserves in 2020, his life unraveled. Financial woes from two divorces, a failed real estate career, and struggles as an IT specialist marked his civilian years.

Despite his quiet demeanor, Jabbar’s radicalization had alarming roots. In videos posted before his attack, he not only declared loyalty to ISIS but also threatened to murder his own family. His younger brother, Abdur Jabbar, expressed shock: “This is more some type of radicalization, not religion. He was a sweetheart really, a nice guy, a friend, really smart, caring.”