The Ideology of Military Training Gone Amok

 

"He [Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabber] was 100 percent inspired by ISIS."

"We're digging through more social media, more interviews ... to ascertain more about that."

"No definitive link [ has been found linking the New Orleans attack and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas the same day]."

Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director, FBI counterterrorism division 

"[In the military], I learned the meaning of great service and what it means to be responsive and take everything seriously."

Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar

"It's not lost on us that it's in front of the Trump building, and that it's a Tesla vehicle." 

"But we don't have information at this point that definitely tells us, or suggests, that [the incident] was because of a particular ideology."

Spencer Evans, FBI agent based in Las Vegas

Photo show suspects of two separate incidents that occurred on New Year's Day. To the left, a man identified as Matthew Livelsberger allegedly set off a Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas. To the right, a suspect identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar is accused of allegedly hitting pedestrians with a truck in New Orleans, killing 14 people. Photo by LinkedIn and FBI/AFP via Getty Images

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado, a highly decorated American soldier was awarded two Bronze stars, one with a valour device for courage under fire; a combat infantry badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with valour. Livelsberger and Jabbar both spent time at the Fort Bragg massive army base in North Carolina. An official from the base stated no overlap in their assignments ever took place.

New Orleans police and federal agents investigate a suspected terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year's Day on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Chris Granger/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

The very day that U.S. Texas citizen Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed into a crowd of people at 3:00 a.m. on January 1st on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring 35, in New Orleans, Matthew Livelsberger fatally shot himself in the head just before the Tesla Cybertruck he was seated in burst into flames outside the Las Vegas hotel owned by Donald Trump. Speculation is that he had planned for the explosion to cause a notable level of carnage.

The vehicle as it exploded, however, due to its steel sides, absorbed most of the explosive force. A handgun was found at the dead man's feet, seated in the driver's seat. And it seemed obvious that his death was self-inflicted. The interior of the truck took most of the damage from the blast as it "vented out and up", failing to hit the Trump hotel doors a few feet distant from the truck.

"The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience", and presumably expertise, stated a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Inside the charred truck a second firearm, a number of fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch were found. Both guns had been legally acquired.

 

Livelsberger had served in the army since 2006, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, with the Green Berets, highly trained special forces working to counter terrorism abroad. The truck explosion, packed with firework, mortars and camp fuel canisters occurred hours after 42-year-old Jabbar rammed his rented truck into a French Quarter crowd in New Orleans. 

"[Livelsberger loved Trump] and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American."

Livelsberger uncle 

"[Livelsberger was a] big [supporter of Trump. He voted for Trump in November's election]."

The Daily Beast

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