November 9, 2009 6:33 PM

Hasan Computer Reveals No Terror Ties

By
CBSNews
(CBS)  A preliminary review of the computer of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the accused shooter in Thursday's rampage at Fort Hood in which 13 people were killed, has revealed no evidence of any connection to terror groups or conspirators, according to law enforcement officials.

CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports that an examination of the computer has revealed Hasan visited Web sites promoting radical Islamic views, but investigators have not found any e-mail communications with outside facilitators or known terrorists.

One senior official told CBS News, "Everything continues to indicate that Hassan acted alone."

The official, though, said the investigation is "fluid and still in its early stages."

As part of a continuing background check the FBI is reviewing Hasan's actions and associations during his time in the Washington, D.C. area, where the psychiatrist worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Orr says that the FBI is aware of and is investigating reports (described in the London Telegraph) that in 2001 Hasan attended the same Virginia mosque as two of the 9/11 hijackers.

[The Telegraph does misstate that the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center is in Great Falls, Va., when it is actually in Falls Church.]

Investigators do not yet know if Hasan ever had an encounter with the hijackers Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour, but "... since all were in the area at the same time, it's possible," sources said.

Special Section: Tragedy at Fort Hood

More importantly, investigators are trying to determine what relationship, if any, Hasan developed with the radical Imam Anwar al-Awlaki, who was the spiritual leader of the mosque at the time. Even if Hasan had no direct relationship with al-Awlaki - a known extremist, now living in Yemen, who's been accused of aiding the 9/11 plot - investigators want to determine if al-Awlaki's teachings may have helped foster Hasan's radicalization.

"We need to look at potential inspiration" as a factor, sources said.

Officials say all of these potential leads, "need to be checked out before we attempt to attach any weight to them."

The FBI still has not interviewed Hasan, who was reportedly taken off a ventilator at the hospital where he is recovering, under guard, after being shot four times during Thursday's firefight.


More Coverage of the Tragedy at Fort Hood:
Army Says Hasan Taken off Ventilator
Fort Hood Suspect Said Methodical Goodbyes
Hasan Reportedly Felt U.S. Attacked Islam
Neighbor: Ft. Hood Suspect Packed Up Home
Hasan's Remarks Worried Muslim Leader

Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
Add a Comment See all 60 Comments
by cwb4life13 November 10, 2009 10:47 PM EST
I hope they stick is ass with the rest of the inmates and not in cell by him self. and i also hope he gets life and not death hes a Muslims and he would want death. life would be a worse punishment for him instead of death. make this **** some ones *****
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by jasperlily November 10, 2009 8:52 PM EST
When the first reports of this horrific shooting were aired on tv, it was stated that Hasan's fellow soldiers had continually ridiculed and harassed him, damaging his vehicle and calling him a camel jockey and the like, even though he was born in the US. There has been no mention of these things since that one time. While it is obviously no excuse for his terrible actions, one might be able to see that he finally snapped from sheer frustration, hurt and resentment.
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by a1106foothil November 9, 2009 8:34 PM EST
Hmmm. An ABC investigative report just said that there is now evidence the good Major actually had direct communications with an Al Qaeda recruiter in Yemen. It was the result of that awful CIA wire tap stuff. Guess what, CBS. Trying to avoid calling this a terrorist attack to protect Obama from the first homeland attack since 9-11 will not work. Call it what you want, CBS. But there are a 12 murdered American soldiers down in Texas standing testament to a fanatic Muslim who yelled Allah Akbar before firing about 100 times. And trying to split hairs trying define the word "is" will not change that. Your politically correct B.S. is disguting and does not serve this country well.
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by wheatfield2 November 9, 2009 3:38 PM EST
ALSO, please google ""911 attackers strip joint"". You will find this is EXACTLY the behavior exhibited by the 911 attackers...recent obsession with sex prior to their martyrdom.
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by wheatfield2 November 9, 2009 3:36 PM EST
Of course Hasan had planned this well in advance, so is no surprise there would be any evidence on his computer. But what about his neighbor's computer? The neighbor surrendered his computer to authorities, as Hasan had "borrowed" it, hijacked his "wifi" and changed passwords. What about that???
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by mljohns00 November 9, 2009 1:06 PM EST
He obviously shouldn't have been assigned to a place where he'd be killing Muslims. He should have been sent to one of our other combat zones, where he'd be killing blacks, hispanics, or asians.
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by cwb4life13 November 10, 2009 10:42 PM EST
if you didnt know military officer can quit the military any time they want. If he didnt want to go to iraq/afgan then he could have just left the military. It doesnt matter what religion/race we are fighting if you join the military then its your job to fight where ever we have to fight.
by AOCGUY November 12, 2009 12:35 PM EST
cwb4life13 - Not quite true, especially in the case where that officer has incurred active duty service committments as a result of military funded training.
by Hosheen November 9, 2009 5:21 AM EST
Not finding anything of note on his computer proves little either way. Perhaps he was jut smart enough to not leave anything on his hard drive (anything can be deleted so it can never be found).

Him yelling out "God is great" as he started shooting is really no different that a Christian Reich fanatic yelling "Praise God!" as he murders people at an abortion clinic.

The fact is that religion is, and always has been, the source of most of the world's problems. As long as people are so simple-minded and illogical to be taken in by the great lie of any religion, we will have problems with it. If only they would all kill each other... But wait, that's hat they're trying to do.
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by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-01 November 9, 2009 1:11 AM EST
by stryker54 November 8, 2009 10:16 PM EST
I don't hate anything or anyone.
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by stryker54 November 8, 2009 8:43 PM EST
Lets see how honorable they are when more of the same goes on and they take over the military. Just what Obama want's. Our pres. is on there side. He was raised muslim, just because he says he is a christian doesn't make it so, plus the Rev. Write, another winner.

by stryker54 November 8, 2009 8:27 PM EST
f u muslim trash.

by stryker54 November 8, 2009 8:30 PM EST
last I heard it was illegal to kill, which is all these Muslim pricks want to do. a bunch of murdering thugs

by stryker54 November 8, 2009 8:24 PM EST
Hey raghead, take your sorry excuses somewhere else.
Muslims suck, lie and KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.

by stryker54 November 8, 2009 10:24 PM EST
My grandfather fought in the middle east and felt the Arabs are lower than sh*t,
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LOL!!! Don't hate anything or anyone? Well, with THAT sort of kinder, gentler machine gun hand, I'd be wary of seeing hate.

Your last statement kind of ties things up into a nice little bow. The sins of the (grand)father...
Reply to this comment
by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-01 November 9, 2009 12:51 AM EST
by stryker54 November 8, 2009 10:24 PM EST
Hey Jeff, I know nothing about the porn business, you must. I don't have to say how much my house is worth, I live on Maui, Ha,
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LOL! Anybody really from Hawaii or lives with his parents there would know it's abbreviated HI.
Reply to this comment
by sero5 November 8, 2009 11:41 PM EST
This murderous thug is an agent of Iran.
Reply to this comment
by 50BMS13 November 8, 2009 11:52 PM EST
he very well may be. Speaking of Iran, if Obama lets them go Nuclear watch out. 911 will look like a picnic on a sunny Sunday at the beach compared to what they want to do to us...
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