Fort Hood Shooting Suspect Ordered to Shave

Judge says beard could be removed by force

A US military judge has ordered the 2009 Fort Hood shooting suspect, Army Major Nidal Hasan, to shave off his beard or be "forcibly shaved."

Col Gregory Gross issued the official order on Thursday after a hearing to determine whether a federal religious freedom law applied to Hasan's case.

"Bottom line is, the judge ordered him to be forcibly shaved," Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway said.

The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ruled last month that if Gross ordered Hasan to shave, the ruling could be appealed, which means another delay in all proceedings related to Hasan's trial.