Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian media: Three Palestinians were killed after being targeted by Israeli drone fire in the al-Shujaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City
Nicolas Maduro: The Palestinian cause is the most sacred cause for humanity, and we propose sending teams of builders, farmers, and doctors to Gaza to help the people
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Lebanon: IOF infiltrate Khallet Wardeh towards the municipality in the town of Aita al-Shaab, south of Lebanon.
Leaders of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey sign a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Trump arrives in Sharm el-Sheikh
Israeli PM's office: PM informed Trump he would not attend Sharm el-Sheikh Summit on account of Jewish holidays.
Israeli media: Netanyahu makes last-minute decision to cancel trip to Sharm el-Sheikh.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Large crowds gather in Khan Younis to welcome the liberated Palestinian detainees, waving flags of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in celebration
Buses of released prisoners arrive in Ramallah
Israeli media: Netanyahu gifts Trump a "Golden Dove".

Veterans tied to New Year's attacks spark extremism concerns

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Intercept
  • 3 Jan 2025 20:38
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The FBI is investigating a possible connection between the two New Year’s attacks, as both vehicles were rented through the car-sharing service Turo.

Listen
  • x
  • Veterans tied to New Year's attacks spark extremism concerns
    Harris County Sheriff's officers clear the media from the neighborhood where 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar is believed to have lived, on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, in Houston, Texas. (AP)

The Intercept published a report on Friday discussing the two New Year's Day attacks that left 15 people dead and dozens injured, both carried out by individuals with US military backgrounds. The incidents have raised concerns about the growing connection between military service and extremist violence, with data pointing to an alarming rise in such cases over the past decade.

In New Orleans, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year's revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring 35. The FBI identified Jabbar, a former US Army staff sergeant, as having served from 2007 to 2020, including a deployment to Afghanistan. President Joe Biden stated that Jabbar was "inspired by" ISIS and had expressed "a desire to kill" in videos posted online before the attack. The FBI is investigating whether others were involved.

A second attack occurred in Las Vegas, where 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger detonated a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel, killing himself and injuring seven bystanders. Livelsberger, a US Army Special Operations soldier, was still serving in the military but was on approved leave at the time. The FBI is probing whether the two attacks are connected, as both vehicles were rented using the same car-sharing service, Turo.

Military and Extremism

Data from a new report by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) reveals a sharp rise in extremist crimes involving individuals with military backgrounds. From 1990 to 2010, an average of seven such cases occurred annually. Since 2011, this number has jumped to 45 per year.

Related News

Trump eyes ban on Chinese cooking oil amid US soybean self-harm

US-China tariff war strains global economy: Erdogan

According to the START research director, Michael Jensen, military service is the strongest individual predictor of becoming a "mass casualty offender," far exceeding factors like mental health issues or prior criminal history.

"Military personnel and veterans are not more likely to radicalize than the general public, but when they do, they may be more likely to plan or commit mass casualty crimes," Jensen's team concluded. START's database, which includes over 3,000 cases, shows that offenders with military backgrounds are 2.41 times more likely to commit mass casualty attacks.

Extremist affiliations

The report also sheds light on ideological motivations. Of the offenders with military ties, 73.5% were associated with far-right domestic extremist groups, while 15% were linked to foreign extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

Both Jabbar and Livelsberger had been stationed at Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, a large Army base with a history of soldier deaths, including drug overdoses and homicides.

While their assignments did not overlap, Fort Liberty has been under scrutiny due to preventable fatalities, with 109 soldiers dying there in 2020 and 2021 alone.

Read more: Extremism; a troubling trend for US military, Pentagon report shows

Joel A. Dvoskin, a clinical and forensic psychologist, urged caution in interpreting these findings, stressing the need for data to support beneficial changes.

"The Army is a vast organization with all kinds of different people and all kinds of different training and experiences," he said, noting that such information should be used to ease the transition from military to civilian life.

  • United States
  • Fort Liberty
  • Extremism
  • new orleans
  • Terrorism

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
Taylor Swift: The Life of a Showgirl

The Life of a No-Girl: The one verse Taylor Swift refuses to sing

  • Arts and Culture
  • 8 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Freed Palestinian detainee al-Arida expresses gratitude to Al Mayadeen.
Politics

Freed Palestinian detainee Mahmoud al-Arida salutes Al Mayadeen

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez gestures as he speaks at the Global Progress Action Summit, in London, Friday, September 26, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Spain to maintain arms embargo on ‘Israel’ despite ceasefire

Israeli excavators work in the Gaza Strip as the sun sets, seen from southern occupied Palestine, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian clans condemn chaos in Gaza, back security forces

The sun sets behind buildings destroyed during the Israeli aggression in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Tuesday, October 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime cuts Gaza aid to 300 trucks, blocks fuel and gas

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS