Imam Tied To Sept. 11 Praises Hasan

The posting appeared Monday on his Web site. Anwar al Awlaki is currently living in Yemen and is a native-born U.S. citizen.

He added that Muslims who condemned the attacks last week on Fort Hood, TX, the U.S.'s largest military base, are hypocrites who have committed treason against Islam. Meanwhile, Muslims in the U.S. are already fearing reprisals after the Fort Hood slayings last Thursday.

Awlaki said the only way a Muslim can justify serving in the U.S. military is if he intends to "follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal." Nadil Malik Hasan apparently attended the same Virginia mosque as the aforementioned Sept. 11 hijackers in 2001.

Hasanheld his mother's funeral at the Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, VA, on May 31, 2001, according to her obituary in the Roanoke Times newspaper. At the time, Awlaki was an imam at the mosque. However, it is unclear that Hasan had ever been taught or mentored by Aulaqi.

While unconfirmed by authorities, witnesses originally reported that Major Nadil Malik Hasan, 39, shouted 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Great in Arabic) before his attack. He shot and killed 13 and wounded 29 in a horrific massacre at the Fort Hood Soldier Readiness Center.

Hasan, originally believed killed, is in critical but stable condition in a San Antonio military hospital. He has been drifting in and out of consciousness, but has not yet been questioned.