Washington, November 08: As fears of a backlash are going high among US Muslims, President Barack Obama urged Americans, not to jump into conclusions over a deadly attack on a military base in Texas, stressing the diversity of the US army.
“I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all facts,” Obama said in his weekly address.
He said investigations are still underway into the cause of Thursday’s attack on Fort Hood military base.
“We cannot fully know what leads a man to do such a thing,” he said.
“On Friday, I met with FBI Director Mueller, Defense Secretary Gates, and representatives of the relevant agencies to discuss their ongoing investigation into what led to this terrible crime.”
At least 13 people were killed and 30 wounded when a US Muslim major went into a shooting rampage in the military.
The attacker, an army psychiatrist of Palestinian origin, was shot and taken into custody after the attack.
American Muslim leaders have vehemently denounced the attack, saying it runs counter to the teachings of Islam.
Speculation swirled around the attack whether the attacker had snapped under the pressure of his job counseling thousands of war-weary troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan or was motivated by deeper convictions.
“Our thoughts are with every one of the men and women who were injured at Fort Hood,” Obama said.
“Our thoughts are with all the families who’ve lost a loved one in this national tragedy.”
Diversity
Obama said the attack has displayed “the best of America”.
“Thursday’s shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base,” he said.
“And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America.”
Obama noted that Americans had seen soldiers and civilians alike rushing to help injured soldiers, tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the wounded, using blouses as tourniquets and taking down the shooter even when injured themselves.
Obama said the US army groups member of the different faiths.
“They are Americans of every race, faith, and station,” he said.
“They are Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers.”
American Muslims have voiced fear of a backlash after the attack.
The American leader said that servicepersons of every religious affiliations and different origins have greatly contributed to the US military.
“They are descendents of immigrants and immigrants themselves,” he said.
“They reflect the diversity that makes this America.”
US Muslim soldiers have condemned the attack on the army base.
“What Maj. Hasan did does not represent us,” Robert Salaam, a former Marine who reverted to Islam after 9/11, told.
There is no official count of Muslims serving in the 1.4 million-strong US armed forces because recruits are not required to state their religion.
But according to the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affair Council, there are more than 20,000 Muslims serving in the military.
-Agencies