Did the U.S. Army ignore the increasingly obvious radicalization of a Muslim psychiatrist at Fort Hood, Texas., out of political correctness? And did that alleged negligence lead to the worst-ever mass shooting at an American military installation? And if there was negligence, does it add up to $750 million in compensation?
Those are the issues that have to be decided in response to administrative claims filed by 83 victims and family members involved in the Nov. 5, 2009, massacre engineered by Major Nidal Hasan, according to the Associated Press. He is awaiting trial on charges of the premeditated murder of 13 soldiers and civilians, as well as 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder for those he wounded.
The attorney representing the claimants, Neal Sher, told AP Hasan has been the only one able to commit a terrorist attack in the United States since 9/11.
Claims have been filed by: 54 relations of eight of the soldiers that were slain; one civilian police officer and nine wounded soldiers; and 19 people related to the police officer and wounded soldiers.
One of the police officers who shot Hasan and ended his murderous rampage, Sgt. Kimberley Munley, is among those who have filed claims, AP reported. She was wounded during her exchange with Hasan, and has had to leave law enforcement. She is currently on unpaid leave.
In a statement, Munley said that she believes the tragedy at Fort Hood could have been prevented if the Army hadn’t “swept under the rug” all the warnng signals it had about Hasan. And she’s got a good point.
Hasan had become increasingly vocal and radical, outspoken in his growing support of Islamist extremism and the violence that comes with it. At one point, according to AP, this American-born Muslim defended of suicide bombings.
Authorities believe that Hasan’s deadly actions were prompted by his association with American-born Anwar al-Awlaki, AP reported, and both men had exchanged emails. A U.S. drone killed al-Awlaki in September.
With his actions before the slaughter, Hasan was essentially walking around with a sign that said “I’m dangerous, stop me.” But no one in the Army did.
Someone in an airport saying the things that Hasan was saying on a military base would be locked up. Yet he got away with it. Perhaps the military didn’t want to appear as if it was profiling or harassing Muslims in the service.
As a result, 13 people are dead.
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