Fort Hood Judge Sides with Obama Administration Bans Islamic Extremist Evidence

Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan has been paid more than $300k while sitting in prison awaiting trial, while still more witnesses to the melee have died.

According to reporter Russell Goldman, of ABC News, lawyers representing the family members of those killed and injured in the Ft. Hood shooting rampage were outraged today when an Army judge limited prosecutors from introducing evidence, including emails to a known Al Qaeda operative, that would establish accused shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan’s “jihadi” motives.

The judge’s rulings could inhibit the ability of the victims’ families to claim in a civil suit that the shootings were an act of terror. This would match what the Obama administration has made its goal, for some reason, since the time of the attack. Federal lawyers involved in the civil suit claim that the people shot during Hasan’s murderous rage were victims of workplace violence, a designation that could sharply limit the damages in a civil suit.

The war on terror was started on American soil, via the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and there are no clearly drawn front lines as the terrorist networks work as cells in almost every nation, yet the Obama Administration wants to draw lines in this case, as evidenced with their terminology of the shooting as “workplace violence.”

“This is first degree mass murder case and motive is absolutely relevant to prove premeditation,” said Neal Sher, a lawyer representing many of the victims and their family members in a separate civil suit against the government.

Prosecutors have sought to portray Hasan as a Muslim extremist, motivated by Islamist ideology and in touch with known al Qaeda member Anwar Alwaki.

“He didn’t want to deploy and he came to believe he had a jihad duty to murder soldiers,” lead prosecutor Col. Steve Henricks said in his opening statements. He wanted to “kill as many soldiers as he could.”

The judge, Col. Tara Osborn, ruled today that prosecutors could not mention Hasan’s correspondence with Alwaki, an American born al Qaeda recruiter and organizer. Osborn also barred prosecutors from mentioning Hassan’s interest in seeking conscientious objector status and drawing parallels to a 2003 incident in which another Muslim American soldier attacked U.S. troops in Kuwait, according to the Associated Press.

The judge found much of that evidence was too old, but permitted prosecutors to introduce evidence about Hasan’s internet usage and search history from the time of the attack.

Many of the victims and their family members have filed a civil suit against the government, arguing that the attack should be classified as a terrorist attack, allowing victims to receive combat medals, like the Purple Heart, and receive better benefits.

While the shooter, Hassan, has drawn more than $300,000.00 while sitting in jail awaiting trial, as well as receiving full medical and retirement benefits as he has still been on active duty, a full time employee for the U.S. government, many of his victims have been unable to find work due to their injuries, both physical and psychological, incurred in the massacre. Others who were present that day, like Iraq War veteran Trever Gould, have even gone on to become victims in the massive suicide epidemic among U.S. veterans that the U.S. government seems to be doing little about. (http://freepatriot.org/2013/08/14/fort-hood-shooter-gets-rich-in-pr...)

The government maintains that the attack was an incidence of “workplace violence.”

“The government is talking from both sides of its mouth,” Sher said to describe the Pentagon’s decision on the one hand to deny that the attack was an act of terror, while having prosecutors argue that Hasan was motivated by “jihad,” or Muslim holy war.

“Our view is pretty basic: It’s obvious that the government knew he had jihadist leanings years before the attack,” Sher said.

Hasan, who is representing himself, previously called himself a “mujahedeen” or Muslim holy warrior and said he had switched sides in the war between the U.S. and Islamic terrorism.

Prosecutors said on Friday they would soon be wrapping their case against Hasan, which means he may begin his defense as early as Tuesday.

If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Kevin E Lake is an Iraq War veteran and an author, covering everything from veterans affairs issues to all things paranormal. His novels are available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Kevin-E-Lake/e/B00352K6O0

http://freepatriot.org/2013/08/19/fort-hood-judge-sides-with-obama-...