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At least 12 soldiers were killed when an army soldier went into rampage over his imminent deployment to Iraq |
CAIRO – An imminent deployment to war-torn Iraq and harassment at the US military over his Muslim faith have prompted Major Nidal Malik Hasan into rampage at a US military base.
“He was mortified by the idea of having to deploy,” his cousin Nader Hasan told The New York Times on Friday, November 6.
“He had people telling him on a daily basis the horrors they saw over there.”
Major Hasan went into rampage late Thursday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 31 at Fort Hood base in Texas.
He was shot and taken into custody.
The American Muslim soldier of Palestinian origin was about to be deployed to Iraq this month.
“He was doing everything he could to avoid that,” his cousin said.
“He wanted to do whatever he could within the rules to make sure he wouldn’t go over.”
The army major was born in the US to Palestinian parents who had emigrated from a small town near al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem).
He was raised in Virginia, and attended school in Roanoke before going to Virginia Tech university.
Hasan joined the army and received his medical license on July 12, 2005, according to Virginia Board of Medicine records.
“His parents didn’t want him to go into the military,” said Hasan.
“He said, ‘No, I was born and raised here, I’m going to do my duty to the country.’ ”
During his army service, he counselled many US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Having counselled the traumatized soldiers, Hassn knew all too well the terrifying realities of the war.
Hearing about his possible deployment to Iraq, he tried every means to leave the army but to no avail.
“I think he gave up that fight and was just doing his time.”
Harassment
The army major also suffered repeated harassment by fellow soldiers over his Muslim faith.
"I know what that is like," his aunt Noel Hassan said.
"Some people can take it, and some cannot.
“He had listened to all of that, and he wanted out of the military, and they would not let him leave even after he offered to repay" for his medical training.”
American Muslims, estimated at between six to seven million, have been in the eye of storm since the 9/11 attacks.
They have become sensitized to an erosion of their civil rights and took the brunt of the Patriotic Act and other anti-terror laws.
A former imam at a local Muslim community in Washington, where Major Hasan used to pray, described him as a devout Muslim, who used to ask various religious questions.
"But there was nothing extremist in his questions,” said imam Faizul Khan.
“He never showed any frustration.... He never showed any... wish for vengeance on anybody."
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