Maj. Nidal Hasan doesn’t deny he carried out a November 2009 rampage that killed 13 people and wounded
30 at Fort Hood Army Base. The soldier is set to be tried in a military tribunal after years of delays Opening statements began Tuesday in the court-martial of Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, accused of fatally shooting 13 people and wounding 30 more at Fort Hood in 2009.
Hasan, speaking in a heavily fortified courtroom in Fort Hood, took less than two minutes to present his own opening statement — and did not deny that he was the killer.
“The evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter,” said Hasan, who was shot by officers responding to the attack and is paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.
Hasan voiced his allegiance to the mujahideen – the name given to those waging holy war in Muslim countries. Hasan was scheduled to be deploy to Afghanistan the month of the shooting.
“Evidence will show I was on the wrong side of America’s war and I later switched sides,” Hasan said. “We in the mujahideen are imperfect beings trying to establish a perfect religion … I apologize for any mistakes I have made in this endeavor.”
Not far from the courtroom is where prosecutors say Hasan opened fire on civilians and fellow soldiers at the post’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. It was the deadliest gun attack in modern history on a U.S. military installation.
After years of delays, the trial could unfold as a faceoff between the gunman and his victims. Hasan is representing himself at the court-martial charging him with murder and attempted murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted — and could be the first person the military puts to death in five decades.
On the witness stand will be many of the more than 30 people who were wounded, plus dozens of others who were inside the center, where service members went to prepare for deployment. They had said they saw Hasan shout “Allahu Akbar!” — Arabic for “God is great!” — and open fire on unarmed fellow soldiers.
Hasan has never denied carrying out the attack and the facts of the case are mostly settled. The defendant requires 15- to 20-minute stretching breaks about every four hours, and has to lift himself off his wheelchair for about a minute every half hour to avoid developing sores.
The trial is scheduled to last at least a month, but Col. Tara Osborn, the judge overseeing it, told jurors to prepare for several months.
Hasan’s defense strategy remains unclear. John Galligan, Hasan’s former lead attorney, said Monday that he still keeps in touch with Hasan but wasn’t sure how the defense would proceed.
Hasan has indicated recently that he still wants his views to be heard. He has released statements to media outlets about his views on the Islamic legal code known as Sharia and how it conflicts with American democracy.
Contributing: Associated Press