Missouri Man Faces Federal Charges for Online Bomb-Making Tutorials
A man from Missouri is in serious legal trouble for allegedly using social media to teach followers about bomb-making. Jordan Derrick, aged 40 and from Sweet Springs, was taken into custody by the FBI after accusations surfaced that he posted a video online that detailed how to create improvised explosive devices. Authorities believe this material was linked to a recent attack in New Orleans.
A criminal complaint released recently details how Derrick spent several months showcasing graphic, step-by-step instructions on making various explosives. These included dangerous compounds traditionally used in terrorist activities, such as TNT and RDX. Allegedly, he started sharing this content on different social media platforms in September 2023, effectively turning the internet into a guide for creating homemade bombs.
Investigators claim that Derrick not only demonstrated explosive creation but also included methods for making detonators and volatile compounds that could cause significant destruction. Some of these included mixtures of complex chemicals like nickel aminoguanidine perchlorate and ammonium nitrate.
The indictment cites that Derrick’s videos were eventually accessed by Shamsuddin Jabbar, the individual who carried out an attack on Bourbon Street on January 1, 2025. Jabbar supposedly used Derrick’s public tutorials to craft an improvised explosive device mirroring the techniques shown online.
In a tragic incident, Jabbar drove through holiday crowds in New Orleans, unleashing gunfire that resulted in 14 deaths and numerous injuries. Authorities later recovered an explosive device that, fortunately, did not detonate. They revealed that an even larger tragedy might have been averted.
Jabbar’s online activities intensified in 2024, during which he engaged with ISIS propaganda and researched prior vehicle attacks. Leading up to the New Year’s attack, he scouted the French Quarter and recorded video footage using smart glasses.
Moreover, federal authorities believe Derrick’s influence extends beyond Louisiana. They have linked his tutorials to another explosion in Odessa, Missouri earlier this month. After that incident, investigators found components for explosives at a home, where it was reported that the homeowner learned to create explosives through Derrick’s online videos.
Derrick now faces multiple charges, including manufacturing explosives without a license and distributing information related to their manufacture. If convicted, he could be looking at severe penalties, including a potential 20-year sentence. As it stands, he has yet to enter a plea.
The FBI continues to collaborate with federal prosecutors and the Justice Department’s National Security Division in this investigation.
