**A US Army major suspected of shooting colleagues at the Fort Hood military base in Texas last week will face 13 initial murder charges.**Maj Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, was shot by police and remains in hospital. He has refused to speak to investigators.
President Obama has ordered a review after US intelligence authorities said they knew Maj Hasan had been in contact with a cleric sympathetic to al-Qaeda.
Maj Hasan was said to be unhappy about a possible deployment to Afghanistan.
The shootings took place at Fort Hood’s crowded Soldiers Readiness Processing Center, where troops get medical check-ups before deploying abroad.
At least 29 people were hurt in the attack.
An army spokesman said additional charges may be filed against the suspect.
The charges carry the death penalty upon conviction.
Intelligence review
An FBI-led task force monitoring the e-mail of Yemen-based cleric Anwar al-Awlaki said he had communicated with Maj Hasan - a US-born Muslim and army psychiatrist - on 10 to 20 occasions.
MAJOR NIDAL MALIK HASAN
- Born in US to Palestinian parents
- Joined the army and trained to be a psychiatrist
- Treated soldiers returning from combat zones
- Described as a devout Muslim
- Said to have been unhappy about imminent overseas deployment
Profile: Major Nidal Malik Hasan
Shock and insecurity at Fort Hood
In pictures: Fort Hood shootings
However, it was decided that further investigation was not needed, as the content of the messages did not advocate or threaten violence.
“I directed an immediate inventory be conducted of all intelligence in U.S. Government files that existed prior to 6 November 2009, relevant to the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, especially anything having to do with the alleged shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, US Army,” Mr Obama said in a statement.
"Additionally, I directed an immediate review be initiated to determine how any such intelligence was handled, shared, and acted upon within individual departments and agencies and what intelligence was shared with others.
SHOOTINGS AT FORT HOOD
Coping with stress in the US military
“This inventory and review shall be conducted in a manner that does not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigations of the Fort Hood shooting.”
Amid fears of a possible anti-Muslim backlash after the attack, President Obama has stressed the multinational diversity in the US armed forces.
“They are Americans of every race, faith, and station. They are Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers. They are descendants of immigrants and immigrants themselves. They reflect the diversity that makes this America,” he said in the aftermath of the shooting.