Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) -- The military judge overseeing the trial of admitted Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Hasan told defense attorneys Thursday that they can't drop out of the case -- even though they believe it's tantamount to helping him commit suicide. "This is nothing more than their disagreement with Major Hasan's strategy in conducting his defense," said the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, rejecting a motion by the standby counsel who are tasked with assisting Hasan as he represents himself. The attorneys argued Wednesday that Hasan is trying to help the prosecution achieve a death sentence. Osborn's decision sparked a bitter fight in a trial focused on charges that Hasan shot and killed 13 people and wounded 32 in the November 2009 rampage at the Army installation near Killeen, Texas.


Hasan told the panel in his opening statement, "We mujahedeen are trying to establish the perfect religion."