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Nidal Hasan

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Nidal Malik Hasan, MD
Hasan in 2007
Service/branchUnited States Army
Medical Corps[1]
Years of service1988–present
RankMajor
Unit

Major Nidal Malik Hasan, MD (born September 8, 1970) is an Palestinian American military psychiatrist.

Hasan is the primary suspect in the Fort Hood shooting, and is currently hospitalized at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.[1][2][3] He was charged with 13 counts of murder on November 12, 2009.[4]

Early life

Hasan was born in Arlington, Virginia, to Palestinian parents who emigrated to the US from al-Bireh in the West Bank.[5][6][7][8][9]

Hasan attended Wakefield High School for a year in Arlington, but primarily attended William Fleming High School in Roanoke.[10][11]

Hasan, along with his two younger brothers, assisted his parents in operating the family's restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia.[12]

Higher education, military service, and medical career

Hasan joined the Army immediately after high school, and served eight years as an enlisted soldier while attending college. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, and went on to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences ("USUHS").[13] After earning his medical degree (M.D.) in 2001, Hasan completed his residency in psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.[14] While an intern at Walter Reed, he received counseling and extra supervision.[15]

Slide 49/50 of The Koranic World View As It Relates to Muslims in the U.S. Military, a presentation made by Hasan during a symposium of U.S. Army physicians at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

According to the Washington Post, Hasan made a presentation titled The Koranic World View As It Relates to Muslims in the U.S. Military during his senior year of residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The presentation, which was not well received by some of the attendees, recommended that the Department of Defense "should allow Muslims [sic] Soldiers the option of being released as "Conscientious objectors" to increase troop morale and decrease adverse events."[16][17]

In 2009, he completed a fellowship in Disaster and Preventive Psychiatry at the Center for Traumatic Stress.[18] Hasan was promoted from Captain to Major in May 2009.[18][19] Before being transferred to Fort Hood in July 2009, Hasan received a poor performance evaluation.[20]

A cousin of Hasan's claimed that Hasan had been harassed by his fellow soldiers because of his Middle Eastern ethnicity. Said the cousin, "He was dealing with some harassment from his military colleagues. I don’t think he’s ever been disenchanted with the military. It was the harassment. He hired a military attorney to try to have the issue resolved, pay back the government, to get out of the military. He was at the end of trying everything."[21] Hasan's aunt corroborated his cousin's account, saying that Hasan sought discharge because of harassment relating to his Islamic faith.[22] An army spokesman could not confirm the relatives' statements,[23] and the deputy director of the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council released a statement calling the reported harassment "inconsistent" with their records.[24]

In August 2009, according to a Killeen police report, someone vandalized Hasan's automobile with a key, for which repair was estimated at $1,000. Police charged another soldier for the incident, and a neighbor who knew both men said the soldier vandalized Hasan's vehicle because of Hasan's religion.[22]

According to some sources, Hasan is single without any children.[25][26] However, David Cook, a former neighbor, said two sons were living with Hasan around 1997, and attending local schools. Cook said, "As far as I know, he was a single father. I never saw a wife."[9] According to military records, Hasan was unmarried.[27]

Religious and ideological beliefs

According to one of his cousins, Hasan was a practicing Muslim who became more devout after his parents died in 1998 and 2001.[6] His cousin did not recall him ever expressing any radical or anti-American views.[6] His family also claimed that Hasan is a peaceful person, and a "good American".[28] One of Hasan's cousins said Nidal Hasan turned against the wars after hearing stories of those who came back from Afghanistan and Iraq.[29] His aunt said, however, that the family did not know he was being sent to Afghanistan. "He didn't tell us he was going to deploy," she said.[30]

In 2001, Hasan attended the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia.[31][32] During this period, it is believed that Nawaf al-Hazmi and Hani Hanjour (two of the September 11 hijackers), and Ahmed Omar Abu Ali (who was convicted of providing material support to al Qaeda and conspiracy to assassinate President George W. Bush), attended the same mosque, but there is no evidence that Hasan met or conspired with them.[33][31][32][34][35] Anwar al-Awlaki, now living in Yemen, was the imam there at the time. The imam was a spiritual adviser to the hijackers, and Hasan has been reported to have deep respect for Awlaki's teachings.[36]

Soon after the attack, a posting on Anwar al-Awlaki's website praised Hasan for the shooting, and encouraged other Muslims serving in the military to "follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal."[37] The Los Angeles Times reported that the posting could not be confirmed to have been authored by Awlaki.[38]

Faizul Khan, the former imam of a Silver Spring, Maryland, mosque where Hasan prayed several times a week said he was "a reserved guy with a nice personality. We discussed religious matters. He was a fairly devout Muslim."[9] Hasan often expressed his wish to get married, and Khan said "I got the impression that he was a committed soldier."[22]

During a psychiatry fellowship at USUHS, Air Force Lt. Col. Dr. Val Finnell, a medical school classmate, said that while other students' projects focused on topics such as water contamination, Hasan's project dealt with "whether the war on terror is a war against Islam."[39] According to retired Colonel Terry Lee, "He said 'maybe Muslims should stand up and fight against the aggressor'. At first we thought he meant help the armed forces, but apparently that wasn't the case. Other times he would make comments we shouldn't be in the war in the first place."[40]

Employees of an erotic dance club near Fort Hood identified Hasan as a regular customer.[41]

Hasan's business card describes him as a psychiatrist specializing in behavioral health, mental health, and life skills, and contains the acronyms SoA(SWT).[42][43] According to investigators, these acronyms are believed to refer to the terms Soldier of Allah and subhanahu wa ta'ala.[44]

Fort Hood shooting

First responders transport a U.S. soldier that was wounded in the Fort Hood shooting

In the Fort Hood shooting, on November 5, 2009, a gunman allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar!" (Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{lang-en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead. - "God is greatest")[45][46] opened fire in the Soldier Readiness Center of Fort Hood, located just outside Killeen, Texas, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others.[47]

Prior to the incident, Hasan told a local store owner that he was stressed about his imminent deployment to Afghanistan since he might then have to fight or kill fellow Muslims.[48]

Hasan gave away furniture from his home on the morning of the shooting, saying he was going to be deployed on Friday.[49] He also handed out copies of the Quran.[50] He was to be deployed to Afghanistan, contrary to earlier reports that he was to go to Iraq,[51] on November 28. According to Jeff Sadoski, spokesperson of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, "Hasan was upset about his deployment".[52]

Kamran Pasha wrote about an account from a Muslim officer at Fort Hood who says that he prayed with Hasan on the day of the Fort Hood shooting, and that Hasan "appeared relaxed and not in any way troubled or nervous". This officer believed that the shootings may have been motivated by religious radicalism.[53]

Post-shooting

Hasan was placed under guard in Brooke Army Medical Center's intensive care unit, and his condition described as "stable".[54] News reports on the morning of November 7, 2009, indicated that Hasan was in a coma.[55]

On November 9, Brooke Army Medical Center spokesman Dewey Mitchell announced that Hasan had regained consciousness, and been able to talk since he was taken off the ventilator on November 7.[56] According to the Associated Press, officials plan to charge him in a military court.[57] While Hasan is communicative, he refuses to talk to investigators.[58]

On November 12, 2009, Hasan was officially charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the military's legal system, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.[4] John P. Galligan, a retired United States Army colonel, is representing Hasan.[59]

On November 13, 2009, it was announced that Hasan was paralyzed from the waist down, and is not likely to be able to walk again.[60]

Retrospective analyses

A military activist, Selena Coppa, said: "This man was a psychiatrist and was working with other psychiatrists every day and they failed to notice how deeply disturbed someone right in their midst was."[61]

Hasan's alleged beliefs were apparently a cause for concern among some of his peers. While at USUHS, Hasan was disciplined for "proselytizing about his Muslim faith with patients and colleagues",[62] as well as for an incident in which a lecture, expected to be of a medical nature, became a diatribe against "infidels." Army doctor Lt. Val Finnell complained to superiors about Hasan's statements. Finnell said, "The system is not doing what it's supposed to do. He at least should have been confronted about these beliefs, told to cease and desist, and to shape up or ship out."[61]

Prior investigations

Hasan had come to the attention of federal authorities at least six months before the attacks, because of internet postings he appeared to have made discussing suicide bombings and other threats, though authorities at the time had not definitively tied the postings to him.[39][20] The postings, made in the name "NidalHasan," likened a suicide bomber to a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to save his colleagues, and sacrifices his life for a "more noble cause."[39] No official investigation was opened.[20]

ABC News reported that officials were aware that Hasan had attempted to contact Al Qaeda.[63] Also according to ABC News Hasan had "more unexplained connections to people being tracked by the FBI" than just Anwar al-Awlaki.[64]

Hasan was investigated by the FBI after intelligence agencies intercepted 10 to 20 emails over several months starting in December 2008 until early 2009 with Awlaki, who was under surveillance. Army employees were informed of the contacts, but there was no threat was perceived from the general questions about spiritual guidance regarding conflicts between Islam and military service, which were judged to be consistent with mental health research about Muslims in the armed services.[65]

A DC-based joint terrorism task force that operates under the FBI was notified, and the information reviewed by one of its Defense Criminal Investigative Service employees. The assessment concluded there was not sufficient information for a larger investigation.[66]

Despite two Defense Department investigators on two joint task forces having looked into Hasan's communications, higher-ups at the Department of Defense stated they were not notified before the incident of such investigations.[64]

Debate over motivation

The shootings initiated intense speculation over the motivation for the attack in the absence of an official determination by investigators. Much of this speculation centered around whether the attack constituted an act of terrorism. The November 23, 2009 cover of both the European and U.S. editions of Time Magazine have a picture of Hasan with title "Terrorist?" over his eyes.[67] Terrorism expert and Georgetown University professor Bruce Hoffman told the magazine that "I used to argue it was only terrorism if it were part of some identifiable, organized conspiracy...the nature of terrorism is changing, and Major Hasan may be an example of that". [68]

The Christian Science Monitor raised the question of terrorism in its November 9, 2009 story "Fort Hood suspect: Portrait of a terrorist?".[69] A Rasmussen poll has found that sixty-percent of likely American voters believe Hasan's shootings at Fort Hood should be investigated by military authorities as a terrorist act.[70]

ABC's This Week host George Stephanopoulos blogged on November 10, 2009 that his first thought upon hearing Obama's Fort Hood eulogy was that the president has been convinced that Hasan is a terrorist. [71]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d McKinley, Jr., James C. (November 8, 2009). "Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Carlton, Jeff (November 6, 2009). "Ft. Hood suspect reportedly shouted `Allahu Akbar'". Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Terrorism or Tragic Shooting? Analysts Divided on Fort Hood Massacre". Fox News. November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2009. The authorities have not ruled out terrorism in the shooting, but they said the preliminary evidence suggests that it wasn't. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  4. ^ a b James McKinley Jr., "Suspect in Fort Hood Attack Is Charged on 13 Murder Counts." The New York Times. November 12, 2009
  5. ^ Friedman, Emily (November 6, 2009). "Army Doctor Nidal Malik Hasan Allegedly Kills 13 at Fort Hood". ABC News. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c Dao, James (November 5, 2009). "Suspect Was 'Mortified' About Deployment". New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  7. ^ Lewis, Ori, "U.S. Army gunman's act "impossible"—grandfather," Reuters, November 7, 2009, accessed November 9, 2009
  8. ^ "Hood shooting suspect was set to deploy". Military Times. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  9. ^ a b c "A Helper With Worries of His Own". Wall Street Journal. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  10. ^ "Maj. Nidal M. Hasan", Washington Post, November 7, 2009, accessed November 10, 2009
  11. ^ Hammack, Laurence (November 7, 2009). "Fort Hood shooting suspect Hasan left few impressions in schools he attended". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved November 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ McKinley, Jr., James C, and Dao, James, "Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage," New York Times, November 9, 2009
  13. ^ Blackledge, Brett J. (November 6, 2009). "Details emerge about Fort Hood suspect's history". Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "License for Nidal Malik Hasan, MD". Virginia Board of Education. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  15. ^ Gearan, Anne (November 6, 2009). "Army: Shooting suspect was bound for Afghanistan". Boston Globe. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  16. ^ Priest, Dana (November 10, 2009). "Fort Hood suspect warned of threats within the ranks". Washington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  17. ^ Hasan, Nidal. "Hasan on Islam". Washington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ a b "Twelve Soldiers Killed". ABC. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Army releases May officer promotions". Military Times. April 22, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  20. ^ a b c Jakes, Lara (November 5, 2009). "Authorities had concerns about suspect". Associated Press. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "Fort Hood has enough victims already". Guardian. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  22. ^ a b c Blackledge, Brett J. (November 6, 2009). "Who is Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan?". Fox News. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ "Aunt: Fort Hood shooting suspect asked for discharge". The Washington Post. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  24. ^ "Muslim Veterans Group Says No Reports of Harassment of Islamic Soldiers". Fox News. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ "Twelve dead, 31 wounded in Fort Hood shootings". Stars and Stripes. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  26. ^ "Major named as Fort Hood shooter". Military Times. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  27. ^ Mcfadden, Robert D. (November 6, 2009). "Suspect Was to Be Sent to Afghanistan". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  28. ^ Mcauliff, Michael (November 6, 2009). "Fort Hood killer Nidal Malik Hasan opposed wars, so why did he snap?". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 10, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "Sources Identify Major as Gunman in Deadly Shooting Rampage at Fort Hood". Fox News. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ "Military: Fort Hood suspect is alive". USA Today. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  31. ^ a b Fort Hood shooting: Texas army killer linked to September 11 terrorists, The Telegraph, November 7, 2009 Cite error: The named reference "Telegraph 2" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  32. ^ a b Alleged Shooter Tied to Mosque of 9 / 11 Hijackers, The New York Times, November 8, 2009
  33. ^ "Hasan's Computer Reveals No Terror Ties," KNX 1070, November 9, 2009
  34. ^ Dao, James, and Lichtblau, Eric, "Case Adds to Outrage for Muslims in Northern Virginia," The New York Times, February 27, 2004, accessed November 11, 2009
  35. ^ "Conviction upheld in Bush assassination plot". CNN. June 6, 2008.
  36. ^ Sherwell, Philip (November 7, 2009). "Fort Hood shooting: Texas army killer linked to September 11 terrorists". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved November 10, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Hess, Pamela and Sullivan, Eileen, "Radical imam praises alleged Fort Hood shooter," Associated Press, November 9, 2009, accessed November 10, 2009
  38. ^ Meyer, Josh (2009-11-09). "Fort Hood shooting suspect's ties to mosque investigated". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  39. ^ a b c Drogin, Bob (November 7, 2007). "Retracing steps of suspected Fort Hood shooter, Nidal Malik Hasan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ "Fort Hood Shooter Feared Impending War Deployment". Fox News. November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  41. ^ Allen, Nick, "Fort Hood killer Nidal Malik Hasan visited lapdancing club", Telegraph.co.uk, 11 Nov 2009.
  42. ^ Hasan Called Himself 'Soldier of Allah' on Business Cards
  43. ^ Ft. Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Hasan gave himself radical Muslim title on business cards
  44. ^ Esposito, Richard (2009-11-12). "Major Hasan: Soldier of Allah; Many Ties to Jihad Web Sites". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-11-13. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ Gibbs, Nancy (November 11, 2009). "The Fort Hood Killer: Terrified ... or Terrorist?". Time. time.com. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
  46. ^ Mattingly, David (November 9, 2009). "Fort Hood soldier: I 'started doing what I was trained to do'". CNN. cnn.com. Retrieved November 12, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ "Lawmakers' briefing causes confusion on wounded". Associated Press. November 6, 2009.
  48. ^ "Major Nidal Malik Hasan's Jihad warning signs ignored by politically correct military - Fort Hood", CNN, November 06, 2009.
  49. ^ "Neighbors: Alleged Fort Hood gunman emptied apartment". Fort Hood, Texas: CNN. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  50. ^ "Who is Maj. Milik Hasan?". KXXV. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  51. ^ Barnes, Julian (November 6, 2009). "Fort Hood victims bound for Dover Air Force Base". KFSM, LA Times. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  52. ^ Newman, Maria (November 5, 2009). "12 Dead, 31 Wounded in Base Shootings". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  53. ^ "A Muslim Soldier's View from Fort Hood". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 9, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  54. ^ "Hospital: Fort Hood suspect moved to San Antonio". Associated Press. November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  55. ^ "Ft. Hood shooting suspect endured work pressure and ethnic taunts, his uncle says". Los Angeles Times. November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  56. ^ Hospital: Ft. Hood shooting suspect awake, talking
  57. ^ Brown, Angela (November 9, 2009). "Hospital: Ft. Hood shooting suspect awake, talking". Retrieved November 9, 2009.
  58. ^ Jeremy Pelofsky, Adam Entous, Fort Hood suspect refuses to talk, iol.co.za, November 10, 2009.
  59. ^ Roupenian, Elisa, "Retired Colonel to Defend Accused Fort Hood Shooter: Accused Shooter Nidal Hasan Awake and Talking to Hospital Staff," ABC News, November 9, 2009, accessed November 10, 2009
  60. ^ Todd, Brian (November 13, 2009). "Alleged Fort Hood shooter paralyzed from waist down, lawyer says". CNN. Retrieved 2009-11-13. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  61. ^ a b Allen, Nick, "Fort Hood gunman had told US military colleagues that infidels should have their throats cut," The Telegraph, November 8, 2009, retrieved November 9, 2009
  62. ^ Whitelaw, Kevin (November 6, 2009). "Massacre Leaves 13 Dead At Fort Hood". NPR. Retrieved November 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  63. ^ Esposito, Richard, Cole, Matthew, and Ross, Brian, "Officials: U.S. Army Told of Hasan's Contacts with al Qaeda; Army Major in Fort Hood Massacre Used 'Electronic Means' to Connect with Terrorists," ABC News, November 9, 2009, accessed November 10, 2009
  64. ^ a b Martha Raddatz, Brian ross, Mary-Rose Abraham, Rehab El-Buri, Senior Official: More Hasan Ties to People Under Investigation by FBI, November 10, 2009.
  65. ^ "FBI reassessing past look at Fort Hood suspect". 10 November 2009.
  66. ^ CBS News Nov. 11, 2009 Hasan's Ties Spark Government Blame Game
  67. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/europe/0,9263,901091123,00.html
  68. ^ "The Fort Hood Killer: Terrified ... or Terrorist?". Nancy Gibbs. Time Magazine. Nov. 11, 2009.
  69. ^ "Fort Hood suspect: Portrait of a terrorist?". Christian Science Monitor. Patrik Jonsson and Tracey D. Samuelson. November 9, 2009.
  70. ^ http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/november_2009/60_want_fort_hood_shooting_investigated_as_terrorist_act
  71. ^ Has President Obama Been Convinced that Hasan was a Terrorist?. George Stephanopoulos. November 10, 2009.
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External links

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