Officials: U.S. Aware of Hasan Efforts to Contact al-Qaida

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Officials: U.S. Aware of Hasan Efforts to Contact al-Qaida

Monday, November 9, 2009 9:45 AM

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U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al-Qaida, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News, according to an ABCNews.com report .

Hasan, the Army major suspected of killing 13 people and wounding 29 others at Fort Hood, also worshipped at the same mosque as two of the 9/11 terrorists.

According to the London Sunday Telegraph, Hasan attended services at the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Va., in 2001 at the same time as Sept. 11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour. Funeral services for Hasan's mother also was held at that mosque.

The FBI wants to interrogate Hasan to see if he met or knew al-Hamzi or Hanjour, reports the Telegraph.

The imam at the mosque at the time Hasan attended services there was Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric who has been described as a supporter of al-Qaida. A third 9/11 hijacker attended al-Awlaki's lectures in California.

Officials: U.S. Aware of Hasan Efforts to Contact al-Qaida

[DefensiveCarry.com]