Fort Hood Killer Hasan Asked Radical Islamic Cleric Awlaki In First E-mail If It Was Okay To Kill American Soldiers

ABC News reports that in "an interview published on Al Jazeera's Web site, radical Muslim cleric Anwar al Awlaki says that Maj. Nidal Hasan, charged with killing 13 in last month's Fort Hood massacre, asked for guidance about killing American military personnel in his very first e-mail. Awlaki claims that Hasan initiated the e-mail correspondence with a message on Dec. 17, 2008. 'He was asking about killing U.S. soldiers and officers,' says Awlaki. 'His question was is it legitimate [under Islamic law].' The Al Jazeera questioner asks for confirmation that Hasan forwarded this query nearly a year before the shooting. Hasan and Awlaki exchanged as many as 18 e-mails in the year prior to the shooting. As ABC News had previously reported exclusively, Hasan had discussed martyrdom with Awlaki, asking when jihad is appropriate, and whether it is permissible if there are innocents killed in a suicide attack. Hasan also told Awlaki he looked forward to seeing him in the afterlife and sharing non-alcoholic wine." Tweet