Hassan's behaviour raised eyebrows

Washington: A group of doctors overseeing Nidal Malek Hassan's medical training discussed concerns about his overly zealous religious views and strange behaviour months before the army major was accused of a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, that left 13 dead and 29 wounded.

Doctors and staff overseeing Hassan's training viewed him at times as belligerent, defensive and argumentative in his frequent discussions of his Muslim faith, a military official familiar with several group discussions about Hassan said. The official was not authorised to speak publicly about the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Hassan was characterised in meetings as a mediocre student and lazy worker, a matter of concern among the doctors and staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a military medical school in Bethesda, Maryland, the official said.

Consensus

The concerns about Hassan's performance and religious views were shared with other military officials considering his assignment after he finished his medical training, and the consensus was to send the 39-year-old psychiatrist to Fort Hood, the official said.

Fort Hood, one of the country's largest military installations, was considered the best assignment for Hassan because other doctors could handle the workload if he continued to perform poorly and his superiors could document any continued behaviour problems, the official said.

The group saw no evidence that Hassan was violent or a threat. It was more that he repeatedly referred to his strong religious views in discussions with classmates, his superiors and even in his research work, the official said. His behaviour, while at times perceived as intense and combative, was not unlike the zeal of others with strong religious views. But some doctors and staff were concerned that their unfamiliarity with the Muslim faith would lead them to unfairly single out Hassan's behaviour, the official said.

Some in the group questioned Hassan's sympathies as an army psychiatrist, whether he would be more aligned with Muslims fighting US troops. And there was some concern about whether he should continue to serve in the military, the official said.

Visits to Texas clubs

The US army psychiatrist who shot dead 13 colleagues at Fort Hood, repeatedly visited a lap dancing club in the days before the massacre.

Major Nidal Malek Hassan was a regular customer at a club close to the Texas military base and on one occasion spent six hours there watching women pole dancing. His behaviour in the lead-up to the shooting spree was similar to that of some of the September 11 hijackers. Mohammad Atta, the group leader, and four accomplices spent time in a strip bar in Las Vegas, while others frequented one in Florida.