Who is Nidal Hassan? An American psychiatrist awaits execution by firing squad in the Fort Hood case

Washington - Ofoq News - The name of Nidal Malek Hassan, a former psychiatrist in the US Army who was convicted of carrying out a mass shooting inside the Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009, will return to the forefront in October 2026, after the US Army announced that it had set December 3rd as the date for executing the death sentence issued against him by firing squad, in a case that resulted in the killing of 13 people and the injury of 32 others.

Hassan is expected to become the first person to be executed by firing squad by the US military since 1945, according to reports on the case. The announcement of the execution date of the sentence sparked interest in the case, which dates back to one of the most prominent shooting incidents inside an American military facility, and in the career of the man who went from working as a psychiatrist in the military facility to being convicted of carrying out the attack.

Information received regarding the case indicates that the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, announced that the execution of the ruling would be broadcast live, with the aim of serving as an example to those thinking of undertaking a similar act.

Who is Nidal Malik Hassan?

Nidal Malek Hassan was born in the United States in 1970, grew up in Virginia, and comes from a family of Palestinian origins, according to American press reports.

Hassan studied biochemistry at Virginia Tech, before joining the US Armed Forces Health Services University, where he graduated as a doctor in 2003. After that, he worked as a psychiatrist in the US Army, and assumed tasks related to providing psychological care to military personnel, including soldiers suffering from the effects of psychological trauma.

Hassan served at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, before moving to Fort Hood in Texas in 2009. He was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan weeks before the attack that changed the course of his life occurred, and later led to his conviction and death sentence.

Fort Hood attack in November 2009

On November 5, 2009, Hassan opened fire inside a soldier processing center at Fort Hood military base, where a number of soldiers were waiting to complete the medical and administrative services and procedures associated with them.

The shooting resulted in the death of 13 people and the injury of 32 others, making the incident one of the most prominent shooting incidents witnessed at an American military facility.

During police intervention to stop the attack, Hassan was shot, which led to him being paralyzed from below the chest or waist, according to press reports that covered the incident.

Emails before the attack

Investigations revealed that Hassan exchanged e-mails before the attack with Anwar Al-Awlaki, an American cleric of Yemeni origin who was linked to Al-Qaeda.

Hassan had also expressed his opposition to the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and expressed his objection to the treatment of Muslims within the American army.