US Soldier Indicted in Fort Hood Plot

Posted August 9th, 2011 at 6:25 pm (UTC-5)
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The U.S. soldier accused of plotting to bomb Fort Hood, a military installation that was the scene of a deadly 2009 shooting, has been indicted on weapons-related charges.

A federal grand jury in Texas Tuesday found there was enough evidence to bring Private Nasser Jason Abdo to trial. Federal prosecutors say Abdo had an illegal firearm, ammunition, gunpowder, clocks, wires and an article titled, “Make a bomb in the kitchen of your Mom.”

Prosecutors say 21-year-old Abdo intended to build two bombs and set them off at a restaurant popular with Fort Hood soldiers. At his first court hearing, Abdo appeared defiant, shouting the name of Major Nidal Hasan and “Fort Hood 2009.”

Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, is standing trial in a military court for the 2009 incident killed 13 people and wounded 32 others and faces the death penalty if convicted.

The U.S. Army granted Abdo conscientious objector status for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in June, after Abdo had said being in the Army was not compatible with his Muslim faith. Officials said the designation had been put on hold after officials charged Abdo with having child pornography on his computer.

Abdo then disappeared from his assigned base, Fort Campbell, in the eastern state of Kentucky, on July 4 and had been missing until the time of his arrest.

Abdo faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.