Nidal Hasan Says He's Amish In Last Ditch Effort To Save Beard
FORT HOOD, TX - In a last minute effort to save the life of his beard, Fort Hood shooting suspect Major Nidal Hasan told a military panel that he cannot shave due to his Amish faith.
The Amish, or Pennsylvania Dutch, are known for simple living, plain dress, and their traditionalist Christian fellowship.
"As a proud Amishman, I must wear my beard in keeping with my religion," Hasan said today, to a courtroom of military members who were clearly shocked at the new revelation.
The Army psychologist is facing court martial on murder charges stemming from a November 2009 attack at the base. Witnesses reported Hasan shouting "Allah Akbar", or "God is Great" in Arabic, before allegedly opening fire on fellow soldiers.
"Nidal is clearly being singled out here for his religious views," said criminal defense attorney Lawrence Gilder. "He is a pious, hard-working Amish man from a good family. In fact, our defense will demonstrate that the Major has an alibi at the time of attack: he was milking 3 c…
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