November 16, 2009 8:33 AM
- Text
Imam: I did not Pressure Hasan
The radical Muslim imam who communicated with the Fort Hood military base shooting suspect said he did not pressure Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to harm Americans, The Washington Post reported Monday.
In an interview with a Yemeni journalist who was contracted by the Post, imam Anwar al-Awlaki said Hasan first e-mailed him in December 2008. Eventually, al-Awlaki said, Hasan came to view him as a confidant.
Al-Awlaki showed the journalist his correspondence with Hasan but would not provide it to the Post. He said Hasan questioned the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and said the Army psychiatrist cited Islamic law that demanded "that what America was doing should be confronted."
"So Nidal was providing evidence to Anwar, not vice versa," said the Yemeni reporter, Abdulelah Hider Shaea.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Tragedy at Fort Hood
Hasan, 39, was charged last Thursday with the Nov. 5 shooting spree at the Texas military base, in which 13 people were killed.
The imam told Shaea that the Fort Hood attack was acceptable under Islam. "America was the one who first brought the battle to Muslim countries," al-Awlaki said.
Al-Awlaki also denounced Muslims who condemned the attack. "They say American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan should be killed," the imam argued, "so how can they say the American soldier should not be killed at the moment they are going to Iraq and Afghanistan?"
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In an interview with a Yemeni journalist who was contracted by the Post, imam Anwar al-Awlaki said Hasan first e-mailed him in December 2008. Eventually, al-Awlaki said, Hasan came to view him as a confidant.
Al-Awlaki showed the journalist his correspondence with Hasan but would not provide it to the Post. He said Hasan questioned the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and said the Army psychiatrist cited Islamic law that demanded "that what America was doing should be confronted."
"So Nidal was providing evidence to Anwar, not vice versa," said the Yemeni reporter, Abdulelah Hider Shaea.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Tragedy at Fort Hood
Hasan, 39, was charged last Thursday with the Nov. 5 shooting spree at the Texas military base, in which 13 people were killed.
The imam told Shaea that the Fort Hood attack was acceptable under Islam. "America was the one who first brought the battle to Muslim countries," al-Awlaki said.
Al-Awlaki also denounced Muslims who condemned the attack. "They say American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan should be killed," the imam argued, "so how can they say the American soldier should not be killed at the moment they are going to Iraq and Afghanistan?"
17 Comments +
Popular Now in National
- Tropical storm warnings for Southeast coast
- Patz suspect charged with 2nd-degree murder
- N.Y. man admits to pouring bleach into kids' milk
- Ind. man releases hostages, fatally shoots self
- Game of matches claims 2 tots in Calif.
- Ex-PSU president sues, eyes Sandusky emails
- Fast-moving Michigan wildfire burns 17,000 acres
- Ind. man takes hostages, shoots self in office
- 2 female Army officers sue to reverse combat ban
- Ex-HS football star cleared of rape conviction
- Jury in John Edwards trial starting 6th day in NC
- Fast-moving wildfire in Mich. consumes 9,500 acres
- Oregon police find mother of 3 abandoned kids
- N.J. judge: Text sender not liable in car crash
- Man arrested in Etan Patz disappearance
- Western senators want to name bison "national mammal"
