Swift Boat Author Says GW Document Ties Ft. Hood Shooter to Obama Transition

It’s been well reported that Nidar Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, was on campus January 6, 2009 for an event at GW’s Homeland Security Policy Institute where he heard Sallai Meridor, the Ambassador of Israel to the U.S. speak. Now, Jerome Corsi, co-author of Unfit for Command Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry, has published an article, which some have called misleading, on World Net Daily titled, “Shooter advised Obama transition, Fort Hood triggerman aided team on Homeland Security task force,” that allegedly links Hasan directly to President Obama.

Frank Culluffo, the director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute told the Huffington Post that Hasan had no affiliation with the institute and was only a member of the audience. Cuffulo said the institute publishes the names of those who RSVP as a matter of transparency.

Hasan’s name appeared in the May 19, 2009 report titled “Thinking Anew – Security Priorities for the Next Administration,” with a subtitle, “Proceedings Report of the HSPI Presidential Transition Task Force April 2008 – January 2009.”

Despite writing himself, “There is no indication in the document that the group played any formal role in the official Obama transition,” the headline of Corsi’s piece is being called deceptive and misleading. There is currently no indication that Hasan participated in any way other than being an audience member.

Editor notes at the bottom of the article acknowledge that “Hasan is being reported as a participant in the GWU Homeland Security Policy Institute’s Presidential Transition Task Force, not as a member, noting the group was a university think-tank, not part of the Obama administration official transition team,” and that “The institute’s deputy director is quoted saying he is unable to say if Hasan made any input to the group’s final recommendations.”

Yet, the article is being framed as Hasan having made recommendations to President Obama.

The topic of the discussion was “Israeli counterterrorism efforts against homegrown, regional and international terrorist organizations; progress on the Peace Process; Israel’s response to the recent terror attacks in Mumbai; as well as other relevant regional security issues.” It took place January 6, 2009 from 10:30 am – 12pm at GW Hospital’s Allan B. Weingold Conference Center Suite (6th floor) at 900 23rd St. NW.