Missouri Man Arrested for Bomb-Making Tutorials Used in New Orleans Terror Attack

Jordan Derrick, a 40-year-old Missouri resident, has been arrested and charged by federal prosecutors for allegedly creating and distributing online bomb-making tutorials. Authorities claim these instructional videos were utilized by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the ISIS-affiliated terrorist responsible for the deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans on January 1, 2025. Jabbar killed 14 people and wounded dozens by plowing a truck into a crowd of revelers before being killed in a shootout with police. According to federal complaints, Jabbar downloaded Derrick’s step-by-step guides to construct improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including detonators using RDX, which were subsequently planted around Bourbon Street. Although the planted devices did not detonate, forensic evidence linked the materials to Derrick’s tutorials. Derrick faces multiple serious charges, including manufacturing explosives, unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device, and distributing information related to the manufacturing of explosives. This case highlights the dangerous intersection of online radicalization content and real-world terrorist activities, leading to significant legal consequences for those who facilitate such violence through digital platforms.