Fort Hood Shooter Had Tried to Contact al Qaeda

Nidal Malik Hasan

It was previously reported that the Army psychiatrist who went on a deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood Thursday had been on the FBI's radar over some Internet postings about suicide bombers. Now ABC News has it that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan had been trying to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, and U.S. intelligence agencies knew about it months ago, because these al Qaeda suspects were under electronic surveillance. One of these is the former imam of a Virginia mosque who praised Hasan for the shooting on his website (cached).

It's still unclear whether the intelligence agencies informed the Army that one of its officers was trying to link up with al Qaeda, but Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, has requested the CIA and other intelligence agencies brief the committee on what was known. Hoekstra is reportedly "absolutely furious" that the committee has been refused an intelligence briefing by the DNI or CIA on Hasan's attempt to reach out to al Qaeda. But CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano tells ABC, "This is a law enforcement investigation, in which other agencies—not the CIA—have the lead. Any suggestion that the CIA refused to brief Congress is incorrect."

Meanwhile, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Hasan is now conscious and had his ventilator removed over the weekend. He is speaking with hospital staff, but it's not clear if he's talked with with Army investigators yet.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on November 9, 2009 3:05 PM

Comments [rss]

changcheung

Poor arabs

chlyn

They knew a guy on an army base had contacted Al Quaeda and didn't hand him his walking papers???

PTG in nyc

W created the "Intelligence czar" position in an effort to combine all intelligence gathering and agencies to at least create the illusion that if one agency knows something, the information can be disseminated in the name of protecting the public. Obviously we have not yet achieved that dream.

I'm not agreeing with the lack of intelligence sharing, but all of these agencies are territorial and have on going turf wars similar to those of gangs the FBI tries to arrest and prosecute. As long as their priorities remain different, no one will ever properly share information. For example, the FBI is concerned with building cases for prosecution, whereas the CIA seems concerned with torturing and hiding the evidence.

That guy in Denver that the NYPD arrested, supposedly the FBI was upset because they had been building a case and wanted more time. When these nutjobs will strike is obviously not easy to determine, and every agency will have their own way going about finding a means to an end, which often involves waiting too long and failing to protect the public.

poetofsorts

Why didn't they tell the Army? If you have been probing him they would have known he was in the US ARMY!! HELLO! And were going to send him over there? There is something def. wrong here.

butterbutter

But he looks so warm and fuzzy. LOL.

Seriously. If the government knew he was a possible psycho extremist time bomb, why did they wait? Something is wrong here.

maevemealone

Probably something like: "We knew he would do something like this, but weren't sure when he'd do it. We were on top of this for a long time, up until it happened"

Mordicai

Boy howdy, we better get King Richard the Lionhearted to declare a Crusade against these assassin bastards.

FrankMartin

I think he's got their attention now!

Kojak

I hope when he arrives in hell a demon will sodomize him & shred his bowels with its demonic ejaculate of burning sand.

Its just a dream I have...