Obama to lead mourners at Fort Hood memorial service

President Barack Obama will lead mourners at a memorial service held today for the 13 victims of America’s worst shooting atrocity to take place at an army base.

Accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, the president will meet wounded soldiers and the families of those killed last Thursday during the attack at Fort Hood in Texas.

Meanwhile, the investigation into why an army psychiatrist turned his guns on his fellow servicemen will continue, with the suspect now awake and talking after coming out of a coma.

Last night, officials involved in the probe said they believe Major Nidal Malik Hasan acted alone and without outside direction.

They tried to interview the 39-year-old army psychiatrist on Sunday at the military hospital where he is being held under guard, but Hasan refused to answer questions, officials said.

Authorities were hoping that speaking to the suspect might lead to them to understand the motive behind his violent outburst.

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.

By the time the shooting stopped, 12 soldiers and one civilian had been fatally wounded.

A further 29 people were injured in the incident. Sixteen victims remain in hospital, with seven in intensive care.

Hasan was shot four times in the attack from the gun of Sgt Kimberly Munley, who responded to the sound of gunfire.

The civilian police officer was herself shot in her attempts to subdue the suspect.

Witnesses have said they heard Hasan cry “Allahu Akbar” – Arabic for “God is great” – before opening fire at the sprawling military complex, but senior officials have warned against assuming that Hasan’s attack was driven by Islamist fanaticism.

Speaking on Friday, President Obama, said: “We do not know all the answers yet, and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts.”

There has, however, been growing speculation over Hasan’s alleged links to extremist websites.

Defence sources have said that at least six months ago Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats.

Former military college classmates of the suspect have said they felt compelled to complain to faculty staff about what they considered to be Hasan’s anti-American views.

It is alleged that he gave a presentation justifying suicide bombing and told students that Islamic law trumped the US Constitution.

Army officials are wary of Hasan’s assault leading to a backlash against Muslims in the US army.

Speaking on ABC’s This Week programme, army chief of staff George Casey said: “I think the speculation could potentially heighten backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers.”