Gory act of terror

The New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans was a chilling reminder of the lingering threat posed by lone wolf terrorism.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old army veteran, rammed his truck into a crowd, killing 15 people and injuring 35. This senseless act of violence, reportedly inspired by the Islamic State (IS), is reflective of the persistent danger posed by low-tech, high-impact terror attacks. It is now clear as the day that Jabbar's actions were deliberate and premeditated. His videos pledging allegiance to IS and his chilling admission of planning harm to his loved ones before targeting the public reveal a deeply disturbed path to radicalisation. The discovery of IS flags and explosives in his vehicle further establish this attack as a blatant act of terror. However, the underlying factors that drove Jabbar—a veteran who once served his country—to such extremes merit urgent attention. The intricate web of radicalisation that has been gripping countless youth across the globe is still far from being disentangled. It is mysteriously baffling how educated and socially potent individuals fall prey to such primitive calls of terror. It goes without saying that still a lot of effort is required to get to the root of the problem.