Army major to offer no evidence over shootings

Nidal Hasan is representing himself. The case now heads to the 13 jurors, who are all military officers. Hasan is accused of killing 13 people at the Fort Hood base in Texas. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

Hasan has sat mostly silent during the trial. His court-appointed lawyers say he is trying to get a conviction and death sentence in an attempt at martyrdom.

The US-born Muslim has suggested that he wanted to argue the killings were in defence of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. A judge rejected that strategy.

Outside his trial, Hasan has been telling reporters his side of the attack, seemingly to justify it as a defence of his faith.

Military prosecutors have finished their case against Hasan, who is charged with premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder.

Prosecution witnesses have described how a lone gunman wearing Army fatigues shouted “Allahu Akbar!” – Arabic for “God is great!” – before opening fire inside a medical building at the Army post on November 5, 2009.