< Back to front page Text size – +

Obama orders report on what government knew about accused Fort Hood shooter

E-mail|Link|Comments () Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor November 12, 2009 12:42 PM

President Obama, who has warned against drawing conclusions about the Fort Hood shooting, wants a report by Nov. 30 on what officials might have known about the suspect, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, before the massacre.

The Army and intelligence agencies have been furiously pointing the finger at each other after revelations that a joint terrorism task force intercepted communications between Hasan and a radical imam who has been calling on Muslims to kill US soldiers and who praised Hasan as a hero after the killings.

The military announced this afternoon that Hasan will be charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the military justice system, meaning he could receive the death penalty if convicted.

The White House today released a memo from Obama to the FBI director, the secretary of defense, and the national intelligence director:

"On November 6, 2009, I directed that an immediate inventory be conducted of all intelligence in U.S. Government files that existed prior to November 6, 2009, relevant to the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, especially anything having to do with the alleged shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, U.S. Army. In addition, I directed an immediate review be initiated to determine how any such intelligence was handled, shared, and acted upon within individual departments and agencies and what intelligence was shared with others. This inventory and review shall be conducted in a manner that does not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigations of the Fort Hood shooting.

"The results of this inventory and review, as well as any recommendations for improvements to procedures and practices, shall be provided to John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, who will serve as the principal point of contact on this matter for the White House. Preliminary results of this review shall be provided by November 30, 2009."

tags Fort Hood shooting, Hasan, Obama

» Back to front page

About Political Intelligence

Reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors about the Obama administration, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, and other national political happenings.

see all Globe blogs

Globe Political on Twitter

Loading from twitter...

Follow GlobePolitical on Twitter

News from the Washington Bureau

Obama team now talking surge

WASHINGTON - Three years after Barack Obama strongly rebuked President Bush’s surge of US troops to Iraq, Obama dispatched top administration officials to Capitol Hill yesterday to defend a surge of his own. (Globe Staff, 12/2/09)

Afghan war cost grips both parties

A day before he is scheduled to announce a new strategy in Afghanistan, President Obama is under increasing pressure to explain how his administration intends to pay the rising costs of military operations in Afghanistan, which average about $3.6 billion per month. (Globe Staff, 11/30/09)

Declassification of secret documents to be delayed

WASHINGTON - President Obama will maintain a lid of secrecy on millions of pages of military and intelligence documents that were scheduled to be declassified by the end of the year, according to administration officials. (Globe Staff, 11/29/09)

Tax break on profits again in jeopardy

An effort in Congress to eliminate a generous tax break for hedge fund managers, private-equity specialists, and venture capitalists, which could be taken up next week in the House Ways and Means Committee, is being met with resistance by opponents who say the move would weaken the economy. (Globe Staff, 11/26/09)

In N.E. governors’ races, GOP sees a chance to build on gains

Invigorated by state house victories earlier this month in Virginia and New Jersey, Republicans are turning their attention to governorships in New England, where they believe the retirement of four incumbents and a competitive race in Massachusetts has created wide-open opportunities. (Globe Correspondent, 11/25/09)

Senators voice optimism on public option

WASHINGTON - Buoyed by their weekend victory on a vote beginning the health care debate, several Senate Democrats expressed optimism yesterday they could find a way to keep a government-run insurance plan in the sweeping bill. (Globe Staff, 11/23/09)

Health overhaul narrowly advances

The Senate narrowly overcame the first of two critical hurdles to passing sweeping health care legislation last night, mustering the minimum of 60 votes required to begin debate on the bill and opening a volatile floor fight likely to last weeks. (Globe Staff 11/22/09)

Some lawmakers push back Catholic church on health care bill

Representative Louise Slaughter has a consistent record advocating abortion rights. So the New York Democrat was stunned recently to receive, for the first time, a letter from a Catholic diocese in western New York, demanding that she explain her vote this month against a health care amendment prohibiting insurance companies from paying for abortions. (Globe Staff, 11/21/09)

Latinos, blacks take harder hit amid recession

Latinos and African-Americans in Massachusetts and across the country are facing high unemployment rates that could spiral to levels not seen in decades as the jobless economic recovery drags on, analysts and urban community advocates say. (Globe Staff, 11/21/09)

Support wanes for curbs on credit-card interest rates

Efforts in Congress to cap credit-card interest rates are faltering because of opposition from Democrats and a lack of specific support from the White House, despite growing consumer outrage over a rush by banks to impose rates as high as 30 percent. (Globe Staff, 11/19/09)