Nidal Malik Hasan, Fort Hood Shooter, Linked to September 11 Terrorists

I just finished an essay critical of President Obama's response to the Fort Hood attacks, "Obama Dishonors Commander-in-Chief Role." I feel even more strongly about this after clicking on the London Telegraph's "Fort Hood Shooting: Texas Army Killer Linked to September 11 Terrorists" (via Memeorandum):

Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001.

Hasan, the sole suspect in the massacre of 13 fellow US soldiers in Texas, attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Great Falls, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt. His mother's funeral was held there in May that year.

The preacher at the time was Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni scholar who was banned from addressing a meeting in London by video link in August because he is accused of supporting attacks on British troops and backing terrorist organisations.

Hasan's eyes "lit up" when he mentioned his deep respect for al-Awlaki's teachings, according to a fellow Muslim officer at the Fort Hood base in Texas, the scene of Thursday's horrific shooting spree.

As investigators look at Hasan's motives and mindset, his attendance at the mosque could be an important piece of the jigsaw. Al-Awlaki moved to Dar al-Hijrah as imam in January, 2001, from the west coast, and three months later the September 11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour began attending his services. A third hijacker attended his services in California.

Hasan was praying at Dar al-Hijrah at about the same time, and the FBI will now want to investigate whether he met the two terrorists.

Charles Allen, a former under-secretary for intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security, has described al-Awlaki, who now lives in Yemen, as an "al-Qaeda supporter, and former spiritual leader to three of the September 11 hijackers... who targets US Muslims with radical online lectures encouraging terrorist attacks from his new home in Yemen".

The mention of Hasan's mother's funeral at the 9/11 mosque is important, for as the Washington Post reported today, Nidal Malik Hasan adopted a strict interpretation of Islamist fundamentalism at precisely the same time as his contacts with Anwar al-Awlaki. See, "Fort Hood Suspect Became More Devout After Mother's Death, Cousin Says."

And what will be the response of the administration? More warnings not to "jump to conclusions?" Actually, yes, as reported in the New York Times this afternoon, "Obama Says Don’t 'Jump to Conclusions'." And in his weekly address this morning, President Obama -- while respectful and thankful for America's past and present service personnel on the eve of Veterans' Day -- downplayed Nidal Malik Hasan religion and never uttered a word about the possibility of a premeditated fanatical Islamist attack against our troops:

So again, compare this post with my previous entry, "Obama Dishonors Commander-in-Chief Role." I'm sure many have strong feelings about this, and it's my position that President Obama only makes such attacks more likely, since he refuses -- out of abject political correctness -- to identify and repudiate Nidal Malik Hasan's actions for what they were: those of a weak coward who hated his country and who killed those pledged to uphold our freedoms. Both the president's and Hasan's behavior are despicable.

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UPDATE: Linked at Right Truth, "Unbelieveable, Fort Hood, 9/11 Terror Connection." And check Allahpundit, "Report: Hasan Attended Same Radical Mosque as 9/11 Hijackers; Update: 'He Was a Typical Fundamentalist Muslim'." Plus, Kenneth Davenport, "Obama's Tactless Reaction to the Fort Hood Attack -- What an Abomination."

Added: AubreyJ, "SPECIAL REPORT Fort Hood’s Deadly Mass Shooting Update - Saturday, November 07, 2009."