IrelandTrump Orders Firing Squad Execution
US President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad for killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009. The execution will be the first by firing squad in the US military since World War Two.
Global Newsflix 2 min read
US President Donald Trump has ordered the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former US Army psychiatrist, by firing squad for killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009.
The execution was approved at the recommendation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.
Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013 for the mass shooting at the Fort Hood base, which killed 12 unarmed active-duty soldiers and a retired serviceman, and wounded 32 others.
The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution, Parnell said, adding that 'judgment day for Hasan has finally come'.
Hasan, who is currently on the US military's death row, opened fire on 5 November 2009 at a medical facility in the Fort Hood base, shouting 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack.
The shooting was the deadliest non-combat attack on an American military base, and Hasan was shot and partially paralyzed by a civilian police officer who responded to the attack.
The execution by firing squad is one of several forms of capital punishment recently added to permissible forms of execution for federal crimes, along with electrocution and gas asphyxiation.
Key facts
- Nidal Hasan killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009
- Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013
- The execution will be the first by firing squad in the US military since World War Two
- The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution
Three perspectives
Neutral
The decision to execute Hasan by firing squad has been approved by President Trump, and the Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. The case will be closely watched as it is the first military execution by firing squad in over 60 years. The use of capital punishment in the US is a contentious issue, with some arguing it is a necessary measure for justice and others opposing it on moral grounds.
Positive
The approval of the execution by firing squad brings a sense of closure to the families of the victims of the Fort Hood shooting. The decision is seen as a measure of justice for the heinous crime committed by Hasan. The use of capital punishment in this case may serve as a deterrent to others who would consider committing similar acts of violence.
Negative
The use of capital punishment, particularly by firing squad, is a highly controversial issue. Critics argue that it is an inhumane and outdated method of execution, and that it does not serve as an effective deterrent to crime. The decision to execute Hasan by firing squad may be seen as a provocative move by the Trump administration, and may spark further debate on the use of capital punishment in the US.
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