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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 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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?"
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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.
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).
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?
you would be countering from ignorance. how many have you heard about? any at all (10, 100, 1000, 10k)?
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.
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.
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.
""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.>
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.
Who hasn't - It don't mean ya gotta go shootin' the helll outta everyone...