Do not fall for simplistic portrayals of the New Orleans attacker

We owe it to the public, the victims and marginalised communities to report responsibly and challenge official narratives when necessary. As the story unfolded, news outlets zeroed in on two key details mentioned in the FBI’s preliminary statement on the incident: an ISIL flag was found in Jabbar’s vehicle, and his social media accounts contained posts that suggest he may have been “inspired” by the group. Challenging official statements The claim by FBI officials and even US President Joe Biden that the attacker was “inspired” by ISIL raises important questions about journalistic responsibility. So far, the Western media seems to be choosing the easy path, and following a well-tested formula when covering this tragic story: “Bad Brown Muslim committed terrorism in the name of ISIL.” This narrative conveniently ignores the complexity of Jabbar’s circumstances and sidesteps deeper questions about his mental state, his time serving in Afghanistan and the personal crises he faced. After the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, misinformation linking the attackers to a broader ISIL network contributed to public support for then-candidate Donald Trump’s proposed “Muslim ban”.