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Dr. Walid Phares
Fort Hood Massacre: The Largest 'Terror Act' Since
9/11
November 6, 2009
The Fort
Hood killings, perpetrated by Major Malik Nadal
Hasan, a psychiatric by training, no matter what the
judiciary reports will conclude is for now the
largest single Terror act in America since 9/11.
This quantitative finding will take into
consideration dramatic change in the data released
by authorities.
However,
the most important matter now is not to fail in our
analysis of the motives. This is not an issue of
sheer frustration because of foreign policy or
revenge for racist slurs, nor is this an issue of
simply being a Muslim American or a member of any
faith. This is an issue of radicalization of
individuals by an extremist ideology, Jihadism,
which fuels acts of terror. And the main question
should be, when did Hasan radicalize and who
indoctrinated him? Everything else will fall in
place once we have these answers. Moreover, this
would allow us to detect other potential terror acts
that may be in the making.
The shooting inside a US military installation that
led to the killing of many personnel compels us to
ponder. Over the past few years and months
authorities have stopped attempts on similar
attacks. The Fort Dix Jihadi plot, dismantled in
2006, aimed at performing a killing of military
personnel inside the base. Other cells, dismantled
in Georgia, New York and North Carolina also had
plans for attacking military installations on US
soil. But more importantly a number of lone wolves
have also expressed intentions to attack military
personnel.
This year, a person by the name Abdulhakim Mujahid
Muhammad, 23, shot two US military at the Army-Navy
Career Center in a shopping center in west Little
Rock, killing one. In cyberspace Jihadi threats
against US military in the homeland and against
American cities has been ongoing. Information
collected by authorities, including from suspects
and indicted individuals has shown a pattern by the
Jihadists (militants or propagandists) indicating
their intentions to strike at military and security
installations.
The incident at Fort Hood, whatever the personal
motive, falls in the category of demonization of the
US and its military. Meaning, whatever the causes
were for the individual aggression, the latter was
legitimized by the perception that America is the
"enemy." The investigation will show quickly if the
motives are strictly personal or ideological, or a
hybrid set of motives. All depends on the early
investigation being made available to the public.
According to Retired Colonel Terry Lee, who was
interviewed by Fox News and who knew Major Malik
Nadal Hasan, the latter has made several statements
indicating his ideological attitude such as: "The
killing of the soldier in Arkansas and any attack
against US military inside the homeland is
legitimate because of American military involvement
in the Middle East.” Terry detailed remarks made by
the killer "against US policy and in support of
potential suicide attacks inside the country.”
Obviously, these statements by former Colonel Terry
need to be analyzed and verified.
While waiting for these investigations to be
released, analytical projection based on the
historical context, on the specific circumstances of
engagement between the Jihadist propaganda and the
United States for the past eight years and the type
of attack involving an individual in the military,
leaves us – at this point – with the projection that
the ideological factor is part of the motives
leading to the shooting. Psychological factors are
to be looked at seriously but the ideological
component – legitimacy of attacking US military –
needs also to be investigated: For the latter
element was the alibi fueling the psychological
factor, if indeed that was the case.
Although I would place this attack within a wider
context involving the evolution of what we call
homegrown radicalization, I would recommend waiting
for at least the early findings of investigators.
This is where the judicial investigation and expert
analysis may depart for a little while until more
information is made available and correct the
analytical projections. Meanwhile, if indeed it has
any link to ideology or its derivatives, it will
then be the single largest terror attack in America
(regardless of its homegrown origin or not, of the
psychological reason or not) since 9/11.
In that case, what the world has seen and is eager
to learn about cannot be described just as "horrific
outburst of violence” performed on American
military, rather is part of an ideological war,
generated by radicalization, and inciting
individuals to perform such acts. Lone wolf or not,
organized or not, fully self aware perpetrator or
not, influenced by overseas or not, this massacre of
servicemen has moved America from stage to another. |
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