About 3,500 service members in the 1.4 million-strong US armed forces call themselves Muslim, and the man suspected of slaying 13 people at a Texas army base on Thursday, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, is one of them.
It remained unclear what led the army psychiatrist to allegedly open fire on his fellow soldiers, but an emerging portrait of Hasan suggested his Islamic faith and sensitivities may have played a decisive role.
His aunt said he had faced anti-Muslim harassment on the job and wanted a discharge, while a co-worker told Fox News he had expressed anger over the US war in Iraq and spoke of the need for Muslims to "stand up and fight against the aggressor."
As a criminal investigation got under way, Islamic-American groups called for calm amid fears of a possible backlash while some right-wing commentators spoke of the threat of a Muslim "fifth column" infiltrating the army.
The military leadership, which prides itself on a diverse force and a code of tolerance, said there were no immediate signs of an angry reaction against Muslims serving in the armed forces.
"I would say I fear it," General George Casey, US Army chief of staff, told reporters at Fort Hood.
Casey said he had told leaders not to "rush to judgement or speculate until the investigation comes out. "I do worry slightly about a potential backlash and we have to be all concerned about that."
The shooting also raised concerns about how to vet soldiers for possible signs of extremism, with security officials warning more often of late about the danger of "homegrown terrorism."
@slgwise - Absolutely correct........Its not Islam that causes problem, its the Mullahs who teach people the wrong attitude. Anyone, no matter following any religion, if they open-heartedly try to know Islam, they will understand how advanced and powerful the principles of Islam are.....And the fact is that the state of todays Mullahs have been already prophesized in Islam, as it explained us about the Mullahs of our time who have the Holy Quran on their lips but who thinks all the time of their own bread and butter.
Hence the fact is as simple as this - All that is happening is due to some rogues who have vested interests, but this doesn't mean Islam teaches this - if anyone have doubts, just go and search for the truth. And more than that, Islam is here to stay and we can already see the consequences of this world's negligence towards Islamic teachings (this applies to Muslims too). So all those who are angry towards Islam - just hear this - - Islam teaches peace and maybe some people(Mullahs and their blind followers) who claim themselves as "Muslims" hate people following other religions, BUT the Quraan has clearly taught us to love humanity - unless and untill we do that we are NOT Muslims.......
My reply is w.r.t to Kashmiri's views.
My friend, you are talking like a monkey that felt a coconut is useless just because the shell is hard. You do not know the difference between Paramatma, Jivatma; why Hindus worship many gods even though they say Paramatma is one. Unfortunately reading any Holy books other than your Quraan is not possible for you, so I only suggest you to talk about Islam and nothing else!
I agree with the views of Murali Menon. The bitter truth is that, due to the skewed religious teachings imparted to the muslims, most of them have a very intolerant attitude towards people of other religions. Moreover, their loyalty towards their religion comes first-more than loyalty towards their country.So they should be discharged from the Security and Defence Services of non-muslim countries.
America is in this world for 100s of years
Muslims are there in this world for 100s of years
Both living togather in this world , having no problems.
Than came the BUSH era, who started interfering in Muslim world.
Projecting as a well wisher of Muslims, He started creating problems and attacking and killings thousand of Muslims with help of his Jews Advisors.
Now, after damaging the Muslim world so much, how America want to get off from Muslims.
Now, it is hate and love relation between Americans and Muslims.
It will stay forever till one is dead - Americans.
Islam is a great religion which needs to be understood more by it's own faithful(every Muslim)than people of other faiths.It's instructions,commands and laws are so pragmatic you are dumbstruck at how most lay muslims(and others)read it so wrong in so many ways.One can only fall back on ALLAH's oft mentioned reminder in the Quran 'I will guide the right up the right path and the wrong and evil-minded their own way.It is the end that will differ.And that will be a great paradise for the good and Hell for the evil ones'
I only hope that small-minded,mis-guided sections of our great religion does'nt blacken it's name,and the faith of millions,by their stupid actions.Little do they realise that the harm they cause by their actions will tellingly inflict them with a horrible fate in the final reckoning.