Imam: I did not Pressure Hasan

Anwar al-Awlaki Says Accused Fort Hood Killer Viewed him as a Confidant

(AP)  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?"

[krotec54]

?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. ?

Was it not the Muslims that attacked us first?
Will this be a *** for tat, revenge killings?
Must we ban that hate manual called the Koran in this country as Saudi Arabia bans the Bible in their country to maintain a peaceful country? Let us Ban this book of hate and the miserable life they live in.

[koyt2]

Screw freedom of religion. We need to run all muslims out of this country. They have an evil religion. This man is saying it's OK to kill Americans.

[Jesus_BubbleHead]

Do Muslims have laws to protect the innocence of their souls like "Thou shall not kill"?

[bubbadubba]

<<<I agree and would go a bit farther in that I think we are at war with moderate Islam as well.>>>

And also peace loving Muslims since the US has been responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 innocent Iraqis who actually liked and supported the US invasion.
You do make the point that since the US now occupies two Muslim countries illegally and people are still dying, we are in fact technically at war with Islam. Too bad Cheney did not get his way or we would have three wars against three Muslim countries (Iran).

[AndyMaxo]

ref bubbadubba 1:54

I've seen that 100,000 number before. We (The US) are responsible for killing 100,000 Iraqi supporters of the invasion? How did we do that? I would counter that the suicide bombers certainly would be more suspect than our soldiers.
Like I say, I have heard this number thrown around and I always wondered how in the world did we kill 100,000 people who were on our side and nobody said a word about it. Can you be more specific?

[finkfurst]

AndyMaxo - Look at www.iraqbodycount.org
I find it astonishing that you don't know about it already. Doesn't the number of Iraqi deaths get reported in the US media at all?

[bobnjersey]

[I've seen that 100,000 number before. We (The US) are responsible for killing 100,000 Iraqi supporters of the invasion? How did we do that? I would counter that the suicide bombers certainly would be more suspect than our soldiers. ]

you would be countering from ignorance. how many have you heard about? any at all (10, 100, 1000, 10k)?

[bubbadubba]

"Imam: I did not Pressure Hasan"
Right, and Clinton did not have sex with that woman.
And Bush won the first election.
And Iraq had WMD's.
And Madoff's fund was paying 30% interest.
And oil is based on supply and demand.
Blah blah blah.

[stryker54]

Time to crack these MF up side the head. Oh he came to me and said this, and I suppose he said Hasan don't do that it is wrong. Have you ever seen a criminal admit he did the deed, no. Our jails are filled with people that didn't do it. Yeah, and my ass is a banjo. Fry these suckers.

[rbichamp]

Another terrorist attack on US soil!

When will the US wake up and realize that it's at war with radical Islam?

It's unfortunate that most in the media want to avoid this issue as they are afraid to criticize Islam.

[mawskrat]

can you please describe radical Islam for us?

[AndyMaxo]

ref rbichamp 12:05
I agree and would go a bit farther in that I think we are at war with moderate Islam as well. People are slowly waking up to it, but it is taking everyone way to long for me. I'm frustrated waiting.

[mawskrat]

Hasan was just carrying out what the Noble Koran tell it's readers to do

[revlin1]

Well, now isn't that just like the "snake" in the garden of Eden...!! He did it, she did it, "the snake made me do it"...anyone else's fault but THE PERSON WHO DID IT! God must be laughing at mankind right now looking down and realizing how pitiful and small we are. A murderer is a murderer...one with a "cause" committed an act of terrorism on a military base on American soil...end of story. P.S. It was in the name of "allah"...different God than the one I am referring to here. Look it up!

[John_Merritt]

As a person in high standing within any organization, an imam is viewed as above the average minister or pastor we would see in our society. Not laying any blame on al-Alwaki, he has a position of responsibility to guide a person towards the truth, and steer them away from those things that will dirty or soil the soul.

Death and life are two seperate and distinct occurrences. Life is meant to proceed and acquire those good traits we will use in the next life. When we promote bad behavior that does not purify the soul or the heart, is that something you want to cling to throughout eternity? Coercion is one thing, the power of suggestion should never be minimized or taken lightly in any religion.

Hasan will stand trial for those actions he perpetrated on American soil, under the guise of being a friend, and wearing the uniform of an American soldier. The problem he has wrought on his people and his religion does not speak highly of him nor the people of this country he called friend, and those friends, relatives and representatives throughout the world he deceived.

Let justice prevail in the form we hold with the highest esteem and responsibility in this great country. Hopefully we have all learned from this tragic accident.

[Skirt-Lifter]

""Death and life are two seperate and distinct occurrences."" <Really? I thought they were synonyms.>

""The problem he has wrought on his people and his religion does not speak highly of him nor the people of this country he called friend"" <Hi friend! Have a bullet! With friends like Hasan, who needs enemies?>

""Hopefully we have all learned from this tragic accident."" <Accident? What the heck are you saying? This was no accident. You are whacked Mr. Merrit.>

[AndyMaxo]

ref john_merritt 11:46
I have issues with your anaylisis.
First, I hold al-Alwaki responsible for his own comments about how it is the duty of muslims to kill Americans. If he is interpeting the Quran correctly, then I blame the Quran. If he got the Quran wrong then why aren't we hearing corrections from other muslims. In addition, he is not living up to his responsibilities as you have described them.

Also, while this is tragic, it was not an "Accident". Referrering to mass murder as an accident is dishonest and if you made the reference intentionally can you explain why?

[mjlewis6]

Al-Awlaki, if the battlefield is expanded across national borders and the tactics include civilians of any country, how is the Muslim faith expanded by killing innocents?

And what does peace look like from your perspective?

Does freedom of belief and religion exist where you are and what do you do to protect the rights of individuals to choose?

If the Bible and the Holy Quran say one thing in common, it is that to approach Him, we must be pure. Blood of innocents does not allow salvation, and those who kill themselves with bombs...are also lost as innocents who have been misled to martyrhood.

[mawskrat]

read the Noble Koran..if you are a non-Muslim you are not innocent

[AndyMaxo]

ref mjlewis6 11:28
Damn good questions for al-awlaki. He should be made to answer them for all of us. From my perspective, I'd like to answer them.

1. The muslim faith is not expanded by killing innocents, instead the "Fear" of the muslim faith is expanded.
2. It appears to me that total peace from the muslim perspective would be a world Islamic Republic. The organizational chart would show the Supreme Ayahtolla at the United Nations highest level then moving down to the continents, then the states, an so on. All religious facilities would be Mosques only. Everyone on earth would be required to succumb to Islam as a way of life. Planet-wide Universal law would be Sharia law.
This is the Iranian fantasy forged into reality. It will never happen, not in a billion years. However, the press for it and the push for it, and the wars for it must continue as Islam leaves no other way out.
3. There is no freedom of belief in other religions allowed in the Quran. You are a believer or a non-believer (infidel). It is a way of life, not a way of religion. It does not seek to convert non-believers and fail by allowing them to flourish and then passing them on to God's judgement after death. Rather, the non-believers may be punished with death before natural death.

That is my perspective based on what I have learned about Islam since 1979.

[Skirt-Lifter]

""Hasan questioned the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan""

Who hasn't - It don't mean ya gotta go shootin' the helll outta everyone...

[Harden_Tar]

The term "sniper" comes to mind.

[nowhiningallowed]

...and I'm sure he guided him otherwise...tell us another fib Mr. Imam...

[Disinfectant]

Well that's good. For a minute we thought you had pressured him into shouting "God is great" and opening fire on a military installation. Now we see this was all just a big misunderstanding. What were we thinkin'?