Officers disciplined in Foot Hood massacre

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WASHINGTON, March 11 (UPI) -- Nine U.S. Army officers face disciplinary measures for failing to identify the accused Fort Hood shooter as a potential threat, military officials say.

In a statement Thursday, the Army said the "adverse administrative action" follows a review of the events leading up to the mass killing of 13 people at the huge base in Texas, ABC News reported. The final decision was made by Army Secretary John McHugh.

Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 40, an Army psychiatrist, is in custody pending a court-martial and could receive a death sentence if he is convicted. Hasan, a Muslim, is the son of immigrants from Jordan, and investigators say the killings on Nov. 5, 2009, were motivated in part by religious extremism.

A Senate report released last month, titled "Ticking Time Bomb: Fort Hood massacre could have been prevented," said Hasan continued to receive favorable reports while colleagues were becoming increasingly worried about his mental instability and religious views.

"Although no single event directly led to the tragedy at Fort Hood, certain officers clearly failed to meet the high standards expected of their profession," the Army said in its statement.

The officers were not identified, and the statement said administrative punishments were decided individually.