Soldier suspected of killing 12 at Fort Hood is alive, in custody

A swat team enters the main gate at Fort Hood. AP

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Greg Schanepp, U.S. Representative John Carter’s regional director in Texas, was representing Rep. Carter at the graduation, said John Stone, a spokesman for Mr. Carter, whose district includes the Army post.

Mr. Schanepp was at the ceremony when a soldier who had been shot in the back came running toward him and alerted him of the shooting, Mr. Stone said. The soldier told Mr. Schanepp not to go in the direction of the shooter, he said.

President Barack Obama called the mass shooting a “horrific outburst of violence.”

Obama calls shooting 'horrific'

U.S. President says he doesn't yet know all the details but promised the government would get 'answers to every single question.'

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Mr. Obama said late Thursday afternoon he doesn’t yet know all the details but promised the government would get “answers to every single question.”

He said it’s a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil. He also said his thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and families of the fallen.

There was no immediate confirmation that it was a deliberate attack, but the presence of two or more gunmen seemed to rule out the single, deranged individual.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/soldier-suspected-of-killing-12-at-fort-hood-is-alive-in-custody/article1352688/

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Sen. Cornyn: Don't jump to conclusions over Fort Hood shootings

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said we must gather facts and determine how to prevent a similar tragedy.

CNN) -- Before making judgments about the shootings at Fort Hood, a thorough investigation needs to take place, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said Thursday.

"It is imperative that we take the time to gather all the facts, as it would be irresponsible to be the source of rumors or inaccurate information regarding such a horrific event," Cornyn said in a statement.

"Once we have ascertained all the facts, working with our military leaders and law enforcement officials on the ground, we can determine what exactly happened at Fort Hood today and how to prevent something like this from ever happening again," he said.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, shot and killed 11 soldiers and one civilian before being killed, officials said. Thirty people were wounded, officials at the Army base said. A federal official said Hasan is a U.S. citizen of Jordanian descent.

Cornyn, a Republican, said people should not jump to conclusions about what happened and why.

"We do not yet have these details," the statement said.

President Obama, who was speaking at a conference in Washington, said his administration "will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident."

He asked Americans to keep the soldiers and families of Fort Hood in the thoughts and prayers.

Former President George W. Bush, who was governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000 and lives in Crawford about 20 miles from the post, expressed his family's sorrow.

"I was saddened to learn of the tragic incident at Fort Hood. Laura and I are keeping the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," he said.

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Two prominent Muslim organizations condemned the shootings. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington, said there was no reason for such violence.

"We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms possible and ask that the perpetrators be punished to the full extent of the law," a statement from the organization said. "No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence."

The Muslim Public Affairs Council offered its sympathy to the victims and their families.

"MPAC and the Muslim American community unequivocally condemn this heinous incident," said a statement from the Los Angeles, California, based group. "Our entire organization extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed as well as to those wounded and their loved ones."

The group said it was working with law enforcement and government officials.

"American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured," the statement said.

The Secretary of the Army said that while an investigation will come, the well-being of his soldiers was the Army's first concern.

"This is a terrible tragedy that we will know more about in the coming days. For now, our focus is squarely on taking care of our soldiers and their families," said John M. McHugh in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have been killed and wounded. The leadership at Fort Hood is marshalling the medical support and counselors necessary to take care of our soldiers and their families and to notify the next of kin."

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas said her heart went out to the people affected by the violence.

"Our dedicated military personnel have sacrificed so much in service to our country, and it sickens me that the men and women of Fort Hood have been subjected to this senseless, random violence," said Hutchison, a Republican.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the flags of his state would fly at half staff through Sunday.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/05/reactions.fort.hood.shootings/

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This photo from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Web Site shows Nidal Malik Hasan. Military officials say the suspected shooter at Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday Nov. 5, 2009 was Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. (AP Photo/The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress)

WASHINGTON — His name appears on radical Internet postings. A fellow officer says he fought his deployment to Iraq and argued with soldiers who supported U.S. wars. He required counseling as a medical student because of problems with patients.

There are many unknowns about Nidal Malik Hasan, the man authorities say is responsible for the worst mass killing on a U.S. military base. Most of all, his motive. But details of his life and mindset, emerging from official sources and personal acquaintances, are troubling.

For six years before reporting for duty at Fort Hood, Texas, in July, the 39-year-old Army major worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center pursuing his career in psychiatry, as an intern, a resident and, last year, a fellow in disaster and preventive psychiatry. He received his medical degree from the military's Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001.

While an intern at Walter Reed, Hasan had some "difficulties" that required counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time.

Grieger said privacy laws prevented him from going into details but noted that the problems had to do with Hasan's interactions with patients. He recalled Hasan as a "mostly very quiet" person who never spoke ill of the military or his country.

"He swore an oath of loyalty to the military," Grieger said. "I didn't hear anything contrary to those oaths."

But, more recently, federal agents grew suspicious.

At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.

They had not determined for certain whether Hasan is the author of the posting, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.

One of the officials said late Thursday that federal search warrants were being drawn up to authorize the seizure of Hasan's computer.

Retired Army Col. Terry Lee, who said he worked with Hasan, told Fox News that Hasan had hoped President Barack Obama would pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Lee said Hasan got into frequent arguments with others in the military who supported the wars, and had tried hard to prevent his pending deployment.

Hasan attended prayers regularly when he lived outside Washington, often in his Army uniform, said Faizul Khan, a former imam at a mosque Hasan attended in Silver Spring, Md. He said Hasan was a lifelong Muslim.

"I got the impression that he was a committed soldier," Khan said. He spoke often with Hasan about Hasan's desire for a wife.

On a form filled out by those seeking spouses through a program at the mosque, Hasan listed his birthplace as Arlington, Va., but his nationality as Palestinian, Khan said.

"I don't know why he listed Palestinian," Khan said, "He was not born in Palestine."

Nothing stood out about Hasan as radical or extremist, Khan said.

"We hardly ever got to discussing politics," Khan said. "Mostly we were discussing religious matters, nothing too controversial, nothing like an extremist."

Hasan earned his rank of major in April 2008, according to a July 2008 Army Times article.

He served eight years as an enlisted soldier. He also served in the ROTC as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg. He received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry there in 1997.

Associated Press writers Lara Jakes, Pam Hess and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwXtdoKPsNJg9PPKF7708ZC4N56AD9BPPNJ80

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

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Maybe the guy has a stress syndrome of sorts?

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We don't want to jump to conclusions but FOX had an interview with a colonel who worked with him. Hasan was saying things like Muslims should rise up against the American aggressors. Why was he even in the Army? Why would you consider deploying someone like this to Iraq or Afghanistan? We'll see what an investigation reveals.

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Well said Dan. I saw that interview too and the one with the shooters cousin who says that his cousin was nothing like that... So we will indeed have to wait to see what the real story is.

Too much guessing and what have you is not going to get us to the truth better.
I am shocked by it all still, that I can hardly believe it happened... the poor families of the dead and injured...

Heck, for that matter, I am still shocked with watching Obama salute the dead who were returned back to the States last week, thinking to myself, would those men have died had Obama sent over the troops they needed in the first place?! What must have gone through Hasans mind when being told he was to be deployed to a country that was being over run with Taliban and our Commander in Chief not doing anything to protect them...

We will have to wait to find out the truth, otherwise our imaginations will take us to places that we shouldn't go.

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"What must have gone through Hasans mind when being told he was to be deployed to a country that was being over run with Taliban and our Commander in Chief not doing anything to protect them... "

That's a good question. I can't imagine that a psychiatrist would be in any combat role that would put him in danger.

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I agree also Dan. There is something behind his "stateside status", his deployment and the shootings...

This is a very strange case and it looks like maybe this was a possibilty of some sort of "terrorist" act... No solid proof yet, but it looks very suspicious.

More news breaking hourly.

Huffington post putting out list of victims - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/06/fort-hood-victims-names_n_348250.html

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The base commander at Fort Hood says soldiers who witnessed a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead reported that the gunman shouted "Allah Akbar!" before opening fire at the Texas post.

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, made the comment, which is Arabic for "God is great!" before the rampage Thursday that also left 30 people wounded.

Military officials say they are still piecing together what may have pushed Hasan, an Army psychiatrist trained to help soldiers in distress, to turn on his comrades.

Cone says Hasan was not known to be a threat or risk.

Hasan was shot four times during the rampage. Cone says he is hospitalized in stable condition and that military officials will interrogate him as soon as possible.

© 2009 Associated Press. 

 http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/us_fort_hood_shooting/2009/11/06/282603.html?s=al&promo_code=9052-1

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Well, I have decided that Hassan’s act was an act of terrorism.

Just think, he used the US Army to create a good life for himself. Better than he would have ever had in the Middle East no doubt. Upon news of his impending deployment, he goes whacko and decides that his Muslim religion is more important than the US Army, which provided for him a career, home, life and future... Come on... Please. This was an act of terrorism and this fool was probably part of a cell or cells that has infiltrated all parts of our Military... Sad. So now what? Do we start racial profiling on a level never before seen? If we don't, we will have more of this type of massacre... The Middle East insurgency is very smart. They like to mingle with women, children and military as a way to camouflage themselves into a civilized society so that they can kill, maim and terrorize the innocent to further their whacked out "religious agenda and Jihad's". And to think the left labels Christians as being wacky and are public about defending the insurgent Islamists without question. It would really be nice if they would focus on those Jihadists who commit acts like yesterday's tragedy, instead of targeting Christianity as being a problem to anyone... If we could ever get on the same page, perhaps the evil muslins like Hassan, who use religion to justify their sick ideas and mindsets, would be eradicated once and for all.

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It's pretty clear to me that Hasan is a Jihadist. Yelling God is great in Arabic as he was shooting people is a pretty good clue in itself. Add to that the quotes from him about Muslims rising up against the American aggressors and his support for the guy who did the Islam motivated Little Rock shootings at the recruiting station. The question is where do we go from there. I assume the Army will reach conclusions after their investigation and hopefully will conclude that this guy should have been kicked out sooner.

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I agree with you Dan.

Here is an article I found that was posted on the same day as the shooting from Military.com

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"The bottom line for us is that we are increasing security at our gates because the threat hasn't yet been defined, and we're reminding our Marines to be vigilant in their areas of responsibility," said Capt. Rob Dolan, public affairs officer for the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.

In Washington, President Barack Obama called the shooting "a horrific outburst of violence." He said it's a tragedy to lose a Soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.

"We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident," the commander in chief said. "We are going to stay on this."

Covering 339 square miles, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States. Home to about 52,000 troops as of earlier this year, the sprawling base is located halfway between Austin and Waco.

Fort Hood officially opened on Sept. 18, 1942, and was named in honor of Gen. John Bell Hood.

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http://americac2c.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2456870%3ABlogPost%3A344821&xgs=1

President Bush and Laura visit wounded at Ft. Hood

Posted by America Coast 2 Coast on November 7, 2009 at 4:13pm

George W. Bush Visits Fort Hood, Wounded Soldiers

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) ― Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, visited wounded soldiers and their families near the site of the worst mass shooting on an Army post in the United States.

The Bushes made their private visit to Fort Hood's Darnall Army Medical Center on Friday night. Bush spokesman David Sherzer said in an e-mail that the couple thanked Fort Hood's military leaders and hospital staff for the "amazing care they are providing."

An Army psychiatrist, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is accused of killing 13 people and wounding 30 in a shooting rampage Thursday at a Soldier Readiness Processing Center on the post.

Hasan was wounded by a civilian police officer and was taken into custody.

A real President doing his job with grace, humbleness and dignity. Offering kind words and comfort to the wounded soldiers and their families. That is a real American.

Why didn't the main stream media report this? Furthermore, When is Obama going to do his job, you know the job of POTUS?? I cannot stand for that traitorous man to be in that office any longer!!!!

Tags: bush, ft., hood, laura, pres., tx, visit, wounded

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• America Coast 2 Coastft., hood, islam, praise, radicals, shooter

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