Archbishop Timothy Broglio has urged Catholic members of the US armed forces not to take part in the planned firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, calling it contrary to church teaching.
01Summary
- 01Broglio said Catholics assigned to the firing squad should request to be excused from the execution of Nidal Hasan.
- 02The US military plans to livestream Hasan’s execution on 3 December, according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- 03Hasan killed 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood attack and is now 56 and wheelchair-bound.
- 04Cardinal Blase J Cupich also condemned the broadcast plan, while lawmakers and rights groups warned it could become anti-US propaganda.
- 05Pope Leo said on Saturday that the death penalty is inadmissible, and Donald Trump has approved Hasan’s execution but not yet decided on a livestream.
02Why it matters
The row puts church teaching, military conduct and capital punishment in direct conflict. It also raises wider concerns about whether a public broadcast could damage the US abroad and influence how people see state violence.
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