{
  "id": 14100382,
  "title": "Catholics in US Army must not participate in firing squad, prominent archbishop says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/catholics-in-us-army-must-not-participate-in-firing-squad-prominent",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T02:58:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-13-catholics-in-us-army-must-not-participate-in-firing-squad-prominent-archbishop-says/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Catholics serving in the US Army should refrain from taking part in the planned live-streaming of Nidal Hasan's execution via firing squad, according to a prominent US archbishop. Archbishop Timothy Broglio expressed concerns over the unprecedented televised execution of Hasan, who carried out a deadly shooting at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009. The Ohio-born archbishop, who officiated at the funeral of one of Hasan's victims, argued that the US should not emulate terrorists by making a public spectacle of killing its adversaries. He urged any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request an exemption based on religious teachings. The US Army permits such religious accommodations, but the Army has yet to decide on how it will select participants. The Pentagon's decision to broadcast the execution has sparked backlash, with Republicans in Congress, religious leaders, and international observers opposing the move. The US has never broadcast a government execution, and the military hasn't conducted a firing squad execution since 1945. Hasan, now 56, requires wheelchair assistance after being shot by police during his arrest. Broglio questioned the potential impact of a livestreamed execution on young viewers, suggesting that the US military's reputation could be tarnished if the event were made public. His remarks came after a meeting with Pope Leo in Rome, who has previously criticized the death penalty.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Catholics serving in the US Army should not participate in the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan that the Pentagon is planning to livestream in December, a prominent US archbishop said on Monday.",
  "key_points": [
    "Catholics in US Army urged to opt out of firing squad execution",
    "Archbishop Timothy Broglio objects to live-streamed execution of Nidal Hasan",
    "US Army permits religious exemptions for such accommodations"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The archbishop's call for religious exemptions highlights a growing tension between unprecedented military transparency and the ethical obligations of service members regarding the televised spectacle of state-sanctioned killing.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "US archbishop says Catholics in army should not participate in firing squad",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/us-archbishop-says-catholics-in-army-should-not-participate-in-firing",
        "published": "2026-10-12T23:05:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}