Obama pays tribute to Fort Hood victims

Tue Nov 10 2009 21:03:34

US President Barack Obama has paid tribute to the 13 victims of the Fort Hood atrocity.

Leading mourners at the Texas-based military base, the US commander-in-chief vowed that the man responsible for their deaths would not go unpunished.

Accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, the president met injured soldiers and the families of those killed in last Thursday's attack.

Referring to the 12 soldiers and one civilian who died in the incident, Mr Obama said: "Their lives speak to the strength, the dignity and the decency of those who serve, and that is how they will be remembered.

"It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know - no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts, no just and loving God looks upon them with favour. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice, in this world and the next."

The investigation into why an army psychiatrist turned his guns on his fellow servicemen is continuing, but officials believe Major Nidal Malik Hasan acted alone and without outside direction.

The 39-year-old suspect is awake and talking to medical staff after coming out of a coma, but he has refused to answer questions.

Armed with two non-military issue pistols, including a semi-automatic, he entered a section of the complex used to prepare soldiers for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan and opened fire.

Alongside the dead, a further 29 people were injured in the incident. Many remain in hospital, with several still in intensive care.

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