Who is Nidal Malik Hasan? Pentagon says Fort Hood shooter’s firing squad execution will be livestreamed
Who Is Nidal Malik Hasan? Fort Hood Shooter Faces Firing-Squad Execution
Theindiapostdaily.com – Who is Nidal Malik Hasan? He is a former US Army major and psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood. The Pentagon has said his planned firing-squad execution will be livestreamed, a development that would mark a rare modern military execution.
The Army has scheduled the execution for December 3 at Fort Hood. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the public would be able to watch, and Pentagon officials later confirmed plans for a livestream. Further details about public access and the procedure are expected to be announced.
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public.”
The Fort Hood attack
On November 5, 2009, Hasan opened fire inside a medical building at Fort Hood as service members waited for vaccinations and medical clearance ahead of deployment. At the time, he held the rank of major and worked as an Army psychiatrist.
Prosecutors said Hasan shouted “Allahu akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great,” before firing a handgun fitted with a laser sight. As people fled toward the parking area, he continued shooting at soldiers.
Hasan later said he acted to prevent troops from deploying to Afghanistan and killing fellow Muslims. A military judge did not allow that explanation to be presented as a defence during his 2013 court-martial.
Police officers shot Hasan in the back during the attack, leaving him paralysed below the waist. He uses a wheelchair.
Conviction and death sentence
Who is Nidal Malik Hasan in the military justice system? He is a death-row prisoner convicted by a military court for the Fort Hood killings. During his trial, he dismissed his lawyers and represented himself, telling the jury at the beginning of his case that he was the shooter.
He offered little further defence over the following three weeks. The military called almost 90 witnesses, while Hasan called none and declined to make a closing argument. His standby lawyers said he appeared to be seeking a death sentence.
Documents presented during the proceedings included statements in which Hasan told military mental health workers that execution could make him “a martyr.”
Questions about appeals and legal access
Hasan could still seek to challenge the execution through a habeas petition in civilian court, asking a judge to review the legality of his detention. Any such challenge could delay the scheduled execution, although it remains unclear whether he will pursue every available appeal.
Attorney John Galligan, a former military judge who has represented Hasan in civil matters, said he spoke with him after news of the execution plan. Galligan said he is not representing Hasan in the execution case but raised concerns about Hasan’s physical condition and access to legal counsel.
Galligan said Hasan told him that a facility commandant and chaplain informed him that President Donald Trump had approved the execution, without an attorney from the Trial Defense Service or his civilian defence team present. Galligan described that account as a violation of Army regulations.
An Army spokeswoman said officials made multiple attempts to contact Trial Defense Service attorneys and complied with policy. The Army also said Hasan has not been prevented from communicating with his lawyers.
A rare military execution
The planned punishment has drawn attention because military executions are exceptionally uncommon. Hegseth said the armed forces have not executed a service member by firing squad since World War II.
The last US military execution took place on April 13, 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged. If carried out, Hasan’s execution would be notable both for the firing-squad method and for the Pentagon’s plan to make it publicly viewable online.
FAQ: Nidal Malik Hasan and the Fort Hood Case
What did Nidal Malik Hasan do?
Nidal Malik Hasan was convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, in which 13 people were killed and 32 others were wounded.
When is Hasan’s execution scheduled?
The Army has set December 3 as the scheduled date, though potential legal challenges could affect the timing.
Will the public be able to watch the execution?
Pentagon officials have said a livestream is planned. Information about viewing access and the execution protocol is expected to be released separately.