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Army, FBI trying to pin down Texas shooter’s motive

* Muslim leader says Hasan never expressed dismay over US military operations abroad

FORT HOOD: Investigators on Saturday worked to uncover the motives of a Muslim army doctor suspected of killing 13 people and wounding 30 others in a shooting rampage at a US military base.

According to media reports, an initial search of Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s computer revealed no direct exchanges with known extremists, but US Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials had yet to rule out possible links to terrorist groups.

Osman Danquah, co-founder of the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, told reporters on Saturday that he had spoke with Hasan in late summer.

Local leader: During the conversations, Danquah said Hasan never expressed anger toward the army or indicated any plans for violence. However, he said during their second conversation, Hasan seemed almost incoherent. “But what if a person gets in and feels that it’s just not right?” Danquah recalled Hasan asking him. Hasan’s relatives who live in the Palestinian territories have said they had heard from family members that Hasan felt mistreated in the army as a Muslim.

Danquah said he had told Hassan, “There is something wrong with you.” Earlier, the FBI learned of Internet postings by a man calling himself Nidal Hasan that expressed support for suicide bombings, however investigators could not determine whether the writer and Major Hasan were the same person. Neighbours reportedly said Hasan was in a rush when he gave away his belongings, including a copy of Koran, shortly before Thursday’s bloody shooting spree.

A US-born Muslim of Palestinian heritage, Hasan had voiced dismay over US wars in Islamic countries and was distraught that he was about to be deployed to Afghanistan. Reportedly, he said the US struggle against terror threats was a “war on Muslims”, while his family alleged he was the target of prejudice and harassment over his Islamic faith. agencies

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