Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s former commanding officer speaks out about New Orleans’ attacker’s radicalization

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The former commanding officer of New Orleans’ attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar has spoken out on social media about the soldiers’ disturbing radicalization. Col. Richard Groen, his former commanding officer, explained in an X post Thursday that Jabbar had “served under Troop Command during our deployment to Afghanistan.” Groen described Jabbar’s transition from a “great soldier” to someone who “could harbor so much hate” as “incomprehensible and heartbreaking.” As Jabbar drove the truck, a series of his videos appeared online which showed him professing his support for ISIS. open image in gallery Richard Groen,, former commanding officer to New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar described the soldiers transition from ‘a great Soldier’ to a terrorist as ‘incomprehensible and heartbreaking’ “To think that the same individual who once embodied quiet professionalism could harbor so much hate, leading to such unspeakable atrocities, is incomprehensible and heartbreaking”, Groen added. open image in gallery The US Army Colonel rallied those affected by the attack to ‘stand together against hate in all its forms’ Equally, a neighbor of Jabbar’s in Texas told the outlet, that he never saw him attend a mosque, claiming that “he says he prays at home”.