Fort Hood suspect wanted war crime probes

FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The psychiatrist suspect in the Fort Hood, Texas, shootings urged superiors to investigate "war crimes" confessed to by clients during counseling, ABC reports.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan shot to death 13 people at Fort Hood Nov. 5, officials allege. Two or three days before the shooting he made his last attempt to interest superiors into opening criminal investigations into "war crime" confessions from Army clients, ABC said, but was again rebuffed.

Hasan took extra target practice Nov. 4 at a Florence, Texas, shooting range, the report said, and closed a safe deposit box at a Bank of America branch in Killeen, Texas. A bank observer told investigators Hasan appeared nervous and said, "You'll never see me again," ABC reported.

The broadcaster said a corporate spokesman had no comment on the alleged statement.

ABC said investigators believe Hasan's frustration over repeated rejections of his requests for criminal investigations of U.S. soldier's acts in Iraq and Afghanistan may have helped trigger the shootings.

Hasan was wounded during the rampage and there have been reports he is paralyzed.