Maj. Hasan yelled "Allahu Akbar" at the time of attack [???]

[babsbunny]

Currently on CNN they are reporting that soldiers say that Nidal Malik Hasan yelled "Allahu Akbar" at the time of the attack.

Army honors dead, searches for motive in Fort Hood shootings - CNN.com

[note: on TV they are saying that it was "reported" that he said it. on the link they're saying it hasn't been confirmed].

Literally "Allahu Akbar" means "God is great/the greatest"

This is what Wikipedia [excuse me in advance if anything I say is inaccurate] had to say about the usage:

This phrase is recited by Muslims in numerous different situations. For example, when they are happy or wish to express approval, when they want to praise a speaker, during battles, and even times of extreme stress or euphoria.

It goes on to say that it is often said during prayer.

my thoughts: I feel like it is very premature to release that kind of information, especially since it has not been confirmed. I would hate for people to start fear mongering and climing that this was a jihad when, again, we do not know his mental state/motive. I feel like information like that is going to make it very difficult for some to view the facts of this case with any sort of objectivity...

But, I will admit, when I heard them say that on TV, it made my stomach drop...


thoughts??

[Birdy]

Does anyone remember right after 9/11 when that Sikh man was gunned down because a wack job thought he was Muslim, and therefore should be killed?

This fear mongering is going to get more innocent people killed like that, imo.

[Brialee]

I also read that and that's just going to REALLY stir things up! My first thought when I saw his name was how unfortunate because now they're going to start blaming all the Muslims and that's not fair..especially since he's born and raised here but with him yelling that out, that kind of puts a new spin on things.

[BubMunkeyBles]

Who knows. I think its wrong to jump to conclusions... and I hope the extreme Muslim hate doesn't return. It was scary when people here were setting fires to mosque's and places of worship after 9/11.

[Tamzyn]

But in all honesty, what's the difference between a muslim yelling 'allah akbar' before almost certain death and a christian yelling something out to the Lord or Jesus (I'm not religious so I don't know the phrases that are used)? If someone who is strongly (or even mildly) religious knows in their mind that they are about to die .. every single one of them would speak to their god before death.

[Mrz. Robinson]

I hope that all muslims don't have to suffer from what he did. I do believe some of what the soliders said. He felt strong about the war, and let it be know. This is just a sad situation, but he had been throwing red flags for a long time, that the army did not take seriously. Athough I believe what he did was wrong, I also believe that the army should have some fault in this also.

[JudyB]

Well, in that definition is does say "in time of extreme stress"


This man obviously had something going on, that is clear to see. People need to see that for what it is instead of trying to dig a hole of muslim hate and fear mongering.

[Kitten35]

From what I have read it hasn't been confirmed, and they don't know if he was an extremist. I think, as the president said, we need to be careful about making that assumption before it is absolutely undeniable. Eyewitness accounts of choaotic things are notoriously unreliable and in a situation like this, that is the conclusion people will jump to right away. Idk, IMO, I think this was more of an "inside job" rather than a terror attack specifically--had he wanted to do more damage, he absoloutely could have. Security on base is often very easy to get through, I have thought many times when going on and off. All you need is a Driver's Liscense and sometimes a visitors pass.

Still praying for the families affected. It is so tragic, regardless of intent, and I can't imagine the fact that someone would do it.

[mormonnavygirly]

It is a terrorist attack by nature. The motives don't matter. He terrorized an American military base and killed 13 innocent people. That is domestic terrorism, regardless of why he did it.

[Kitten35]

It is in that sense, yes, but I mean in the traditional 9/11 terrorist sense, accomplices, large scale mass murder, etc. Not that that makes it any less tragic; just my thoughts.