http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/hajali.html
On Friday, April 29, 2005 at 9 p.m. on PBS (
check local listings), in Few Bad Men? NOW broadcasts the first in-depth American television interview with Haj Ali, a former prisoner who says he was the man under the black hood in the infamous photo from Abu Ghraib. Abu Ghraib is a breeding ground for insurgents, says Ali, who describes his experience in detail. 99% of the people brought in are innocent, but with all the insults and torture, it makes them ready to do just about anything. Read more about Ali and his experiences below.
Before the Iraq war Haj Ali was the mayor of the Al Madifai district, near Baghdad. After the U.S. took control of the area he was removed from his position. As an official, he was required to join the ruling Baath Party. Haj Ali then worked as an administrator for a mosque, until he was picked up off the street one day in October 2003. Today Haj Ali works for a prisoners association. He says he has no part in the insurgency.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: THE MAN IN THE PHOTO
Q: How confident are you that you are the man in that photo?
HAJ ALI: Actually the hood covered my head, and they took almost a hundred photos. Because all those who were present-as those who speak English were telling me- that whenever a soldier is visited by a friend of his, they would pull a prisoner and take a photograph with him. They would put the prisoners in some abnormal positions and take photos with them. I experienced this situation. I am 100% sure of that.
I remember the American bean box, even the pipes behind me which were used to conduct electricity, they used two wires. Im telling you what I remember from when they took the hood off my head, I saw the electric wires, one of them was black and the other was red. The end of the electric wires were hook shaped.
AFTERMATH OF THE PHOTO RELEASE
HAJ ALI: We were surprised that that an American [television] station broadcasted these photos. But we have two reasons to explain why the photos were released the first is not that they admired the human rights, but because of the polarity of the American elections. And the second explanation for doing that is to instill fear in the Iraqi resistance, but it backfired on them to the nth degree. Before that, a person was able to negotiate with them, but then these photos were published and the facts became clear about what the American Army is doing in Iraq and what the real occupation is. What is more, is that the people who appeared in the photo and the process of their punishment occurred in such a jeering way. This meant the method insulted all of humanity. These have to be punished according to the Geneva [Conventions] or according to the American law.
Remember the hooded Iraqi on the box? Please
العرض العادي
