Top Senate Republicans are calling on federal agencies and Meta to provide the public with more information about the deadly attacks that occurred on New Year’s Day. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson have launched a congressional investigation into the New Orleans terrorist attack that killed 14 people and the Cybertruck bomber who attempted an attack outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
The investigation comes after lawmakers wrote letters to the FBI and the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense requesting more data about the attackers. The lawmakers want to know more about ISIS-inspired New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar and Las Vegas perpetrator Matthew Livelsberger.
The public is seeking complete transparency and truth regarding the New Orleans terrorist attack and the Las Vegas car explosion. While the investigation into both incidents is ongoing, the lawmakers expect the agencies to be forthcoming and responsive to oversight requests from Congress.
Since the letters were sent, the FBI has confirmed that the FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office was not available during the New Year’s attack. The senators are calling for further information to be released.
The senators are also urging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to release records of Jabbar’s Facebook activity leading up to his attack on New Orleans. The FBI took down five videos Jabbar posted to the platform on the day he carried out the New Orleans attack, stating that he had joined ISIS and wanted to harm his family and friends.
The lawmakers want to know how and when Meta became aware of Jabbar’s posts on January 1, 2025, to his Facebook account. They are questioning the process by which Meta monitors Facebook posts for harmful or threatening content and terrorist propaganda. Jabbar also wore Meta smart glasses to scope out the area where he carried out the attack and during the incident itself.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited the site of the deadly New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans. The senators are investigating and need answers from the DOJ, FBI, DHS, DOD, and Meta on the background and motives of the attackers.
