As if going off to war, Major Nidal Malik Hasan cleaned out
his apartment, gave leftover broccoli to one neighbour and
called another to thank him for his friendship - common
courtesies and routines of the departing soldier. Instead,
authorities say, he went on the killing spree that left 13
people at Fort Hood, Texas, dead.
Investigators examined Hasan's computer, his home and his
garbage today to learn what motivated the suspect, who lay in
a coma, shot four times in the frantic bloodletting. Hospital
officials said some of the wounded had extremely serious
injuries and might not survive.
The 39-year-old Army psychiatrist emerged as a study in
contradictions: a polite man who stewed with discontent, a
counsellor who needed to be counselled himself, a
professional healer now suspected of cutting down the fellow
soldiers he was sworn to help.
Relatives said he felt harassed because of his Muslim faith
but did not embrace extremism. Others were not so sure. A
recent classmate said Hasan once gave a jarring presentation
to students in which he argued the war on terrorism was a war
against Islam, and "made himself a lightning rod for things"
when he felt his religious beliefs were challenged.
Investigators were trying to piece together how and why Hasan
allegedly gunned down his comrades in the worst case of
violence on a military base in the US The rampage unfolded at
a centre where some 300 unarmed soldiers were lined up for
vaccines and eye tests.
Soldiers reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" -
an Arabic phrase for "God is great!" - before opening fire
Thursday, said Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the post commander. He
said officials had not confirmed Hasan made the comment.
Hasan's family said in a statement Friday that his alleged
actions were deplorable and don't reflect how the family was
reared. "Our family is filled with grief for the victims and
their families involved in yesterday's tragedy," said Nader
Hasan, a cousin who lives in northern Virginia. "We are
mortified with what has unfolded and there is no
justification, whatsoever, for what happened. We are all
asking why this happened, and the answer is that we simply do
not know."
The 30 wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central
Texas. W. Roy Smythe, chairman of surgery at Scott and White
Memorial Hospital, said several patients were still at
"significant risk" of losing their lives.
Army briefers told lawmakers in Washington eight other people
were treated at a hospital for stress and trauma.
At a news conference, Army Col. John Rossi, deputy commander
at Fort Hood, said 23 people remained hospitalised, about
half still in intensive care. He praised the soldiers' quick
actions during and after the shooting barrage, which he said
saved lives.
Rossi said that the assailant fired more than 100 rounds and
that his weapons were not military arms, but "privately owned
weapons ... purchased locally." Law enforcement sources in
Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said records
indicate Hasan in recent months bought the FN 5.7 pistol at a
store called "Guns Galore" in Killeen, Texas.
The dead included a pregnant woman who was preparing to
return home, a man who quit a furniture company job to join
the military about a year ago, a newlywed who had served in
Iraq and a woman who had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden
after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
In a vigil on Friday night, several hundred people gathered
at a stadium on the sprawling Army post, the country's
largest. It was the first gathering of the community since
the killings.
