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09 Nov 2009 10:12

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U.S.: CIA: The Fort Hood shooter tried to contact al-Qaeda

  • It’s the first real evidence of a terrorist link so far if true. Yesterday, the Associated Press wrote about a story linking the Fort Hood shooter to a mosque where thousands of people go daily to pray. We didn’t run it because the link seemed very thin, and in fact found it offensive that the AP would make such a link. This, however, is something. The CIA told ABC News today that the shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, tried months ago to get in touch with people related to al-Qaeda. And they’ve known about it for a while. No word on whether he succeeded. source

07 Nov 2009 21:32

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U.S.: Is the Fort Hood shooter linked to a larger terrorist plot?

  • NO he’s not, based on an early background check source

06 Nov 2009 21:21

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U.S.: The Fort Hood shooter’s cousin says discrimination was an issue

  • He was a major in the Army and other majors wouldn’t treat him equally as a major should be treated. ‘Yes, you are a major in the U.S. Army, but you are still an Arab, a Muslim, you have your own traditions and values and we have ours.’ He was bothered by that a lot. He wasn’t respected as he should have been.
  • Palestinian national Mohammad Munif Abdallah Hasan • Cousin of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, describing why he thinks his cousin snapped. Mohammad says Nidal, who was born in Palestine, had wanted to leave the Army, getting to the point of a lawyer, but was unable to get out. Again, signs are not pointing to this being a terrorist attack, but one by a disgruntled soldier who just happens to be Muslim. • source

06 Nov 2009 13:34

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06 Nov 2009 11:11

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U.S.: Major Nidal Malik Hasan: He didn’t seem different that morning

  • Here’s a video from yesterday morning of Major Nidal Malik Hasan. What’s interesting is that the store owner claims that he gave no sign of what was about to happen on the base. He was a regular customer but didn’t seem particularly violent or dangerous. He did, however, express major amounts of concern about his forthcoming deployment. source

06 Nov 2009 11:01

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U.S.: “Allahu Ackbar!” the phrase on everyone’s mind this morning

“Allahu Ackbar!”
  • Word on the street is that the gunman, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, shouted this before opening fire. The phrase, by the way, is called the Takbir and means “Allah is the Greatest.” Even if he didn’t have any specific terrorist group ties, he appears to have sympathized with them to some degree. Someday, someone will make a movie about this man, who appears to be a ball of contradiction. source

06 Nov 2009 10:45

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U.S.: Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan called “Camel Jockey” by peers

  • Just keep in mind mass killers pretty much know they want to die and they tend to take as many people with them as they can in a shooting. It is one of those things where he went and wanted to kill a lot of people and commit suicide maybe in his own mind that he’s saving peoples’ lives.
  • Ex-FBI agent (and ABC News consultant) Brad Garrett • Trying to explain the mindset of Nidal Malik Hasan, who regularly faced criticism in the military from his peers due to his race and religion. He did, however, say things that seemed to validate that fear of him. Most notably, he commented on the Internet at some point that suicide bombings were like soldiers jumping on bombs, trying to protect others. So clearly, not of a traditional mind on the matter. • source
 

05 Nov 2009 22:09

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U.S.: Quick question: Is Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan still alive?

  • YES great freaking job on reporting, 24-hour news cycle source

05 Nov 2009 21:24

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Politics: On Muslims, terrorism, Fort Hood, and crazies.

  • Let’s not jump to conclusions. One of the biggest problems with the 24-hour news cycle is that a lot of misinformation gets out quickly. One of the SECOND biggest problems with the 24-hour news cycle is that many jump to conclusions, looking for an excuse to confirm their own biases and bigotry. Let’s step back a few moments and consider that A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DIED. There will be time to consider all this stuff later, but for the love of God, let the story play out a little more before you decide to be a jerk and use this to push your agenda – no matter which side you’re on. Save that for later.

05 Nov 2009 21:15

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U.S.: Obama on the Fort Hood shooting: “Horrifying” it was on an army base

  • It is difficult enough when we lose these brave men and women abroad, but it is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on US soil.
  • Barack Obama • Speaking about the Fort Hood shooting at a press conference today. Regarding the shooting, which killed 13 and wounded 30, he added, “We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident.” The Texas-based Fort Hood, by the way, is the largest military base in the world. • source