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The Hooded Man
Abdou Hussain Saad Faleh, an Iraqi prisoner, being tortured at Abu Ghraib prison by U.S soldiers; the prisoner is standing on the box with wires attached to his left and right hand
Year	2003
Subject	Abdou Hussain Saad Faleh

The Hooded Man (or The Man on the Box) is an image showing a prisoner at Abu Ghraib prison with wires attached to his fingers, standing on a box with a covered head. The photo has been portrayed as an iconic photograph of the Iraq War, "the defining image of the scandal" and "symbol of the torture at Abu Ghraib". The image, first revealed to the public on CBS's 60 Minutes II program on 28 April 2004, was later published on the cover of The Economist's 8 May 2004 issue, as the opening photo of The New Yorker on 10 May 2004, and on the front page of The New York Times on 11 March 2006.

The man in the photo was initially reported to be Ali Shallal al-Qaisi but the online magazine Salon.com later raised doubts about his identity. It was later reported that although al-Qaisi was photographed in a similar position, the actual Hooded Man was Abdou Hussain Saad Faleh, nicknamed Gilligan.

Subject

The man under the hood shown in the famous photo was initially reported as Ali Shallal al-Qaisi. Ali was detained at Abu Ghraib for several months between 2003 and 2004, where he was tortured by the U.S. forces. Ali was later released "on a highway away from Abu Ghraib" without being charged with a crime. In his description of the photographed scene, Shallal al-Qaisi states that he was standing on a rigid and "not breakable" box while he received electrical shocks via the wires tied to his hands. "I remember biting my tongue, my eyes felt like they were about to pop out. I started bleeding from under the mask and I fell down," Shallal al-Qaisi adds. "He said he had only recently been given a blanket after remaining naked for days".

The hooded man's identity was later challenged by the online magazine Salon.com after "an examination of 280 Abu Ghraib pictures it has been studying for weeks and on an interview with an official of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command". Following the challenge, the New York Times stated it would investigate the case. Finally, the New York Times reported that "Qaissi acknowledged he is not the man in the specific photograph", though Qaissi and his lawyers say that while being shocked with wires, he was photographed in a similar position. During a phone conversation with the New York Times al-Qaisi said: "I know one thing. I wore that blanket, I stood on that box and I was wired up and electrocuted". The real identity of the hooded man was later reported to be Abdou Hussain Saad Faleh, nicknamed "Gilligan". The man was not recognized by tribal leaders or the manager of a brick factory located at the address indicated in prison records. It was noted that detainees often assume false identities during their time in custody.

Reception

The photo, along with others depicting the abuse, was first revealed to the public on CBS's 60 Minutes II program on 28 April 2004. It later appeared with the words "Resign, Rumsfeld" on the cover of the British magazine The Economist on 8 May 2004, and as the opening photo of Seymour Hersh's much-quoted essay on the scandal on 10 May in The New Yorker. It also appeared on the front page of the New York Times on 11 March 2006. An illustrated representation of the photo was published on the cover of The Nation on 26 December 2005 with the title "The Torture Complex". On 12 June 2005, the New York Times magazine published another reproduction with the title "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Torture."

Frequent reproduction was not the sole reason behind the rise of The Hooded Man to an iconic status, rather it occurred also due to the diverse ways in which image makers have utilized it across different "genres, media, and locations". The image has served as a model for magazine covers and editorial cartoons, appeared in murals, public posters, and sculptures, been reproduced in Lego, and incorporated into montages and paintings.

W. J. T. Mitchell analyzed the Abu Ghraib photos in his book Cloning Terror: the War of Images 9/11 to the Present. The Hooded Man is reportedly one of the three iconic images from a larger set of leaked photos from Abu Ghraib, with the other two being "Pyramid of Bodies" and "Prisoner on a Leash".

A decade after the public release of the photos of the hooded man, the Abu Ghraib and the War on Terror had been subject to numerous publications. It has inspired numerous adaptations across different media and genres, and significant literary works have delved into an analysis of the photograph, its adaptations, and its political significance.

Ambient musician Tim Hecker's 2013 album Virgins features album art alluding to the photo. The album also contains a track titled "Incense at Abu Ghraib."

Similar torture cases

Der Spiegel, a German news outlet, concluded that many prisoners were tortured and photographed in the same manner as the hooded man. According to experts, this form of torture has been used by the CIA for years. Sworn testimony from Specialist Sabrina Harman of the 372nd Military Police Company states that at least one prisoner was tortured with their "fingers, toes and penis  attached to wires", while the iconic hooded man has wires attached only to his fingers. U.S. investigators say there were other prisoners, including Satar Jabir, claiming to be the hooded man, who had experienced the same torture method. In his interview with Der Spiegel, Ali Shallal al-Qaysi named two other people – Shahin, nicknamed "Joker" by the U.S. soldiers, and a man named Saddam al-Rawi – who suffered the same form of torture.

See also

• Use of torture since 1948
• Criticism of the war on terror
• Firdos Square statue destruction

References

1. ^ Morris, Errol (15 August 2007). "Will the Real Hooded Man Please Stand Up". Opinionator. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
2. Soussi, Alasdair. "The Abu Ghraib abuse scandal 20 years on: What redress for victims?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
3. "'I hated myself for Abu Ghraib abuse'". BBC News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
4. ^ Fattah, Hassan M. (11 March 2006). "Symbol of Abu Ghraib Seeks to Spare Others His Nightmare". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
5. ^ Hansen, Lene (2015). "How images make world politics: International icons and the case of Abu Ghraib". Review of International Studies. 41 (2): 263–288. doi:10.1017/S0260210514000199. ISSN 0260-2105.
6. ^ Hersh, Seymour M. (30 April 2004). "Torture at Abu Ghraib". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
7. ^ Zernike, Kate (19 March 2006). "Hooded at Abu Ghraib, but not in the picture". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
8. ^ "ID of hooded Abu Ghraib prisoner challenged". NBC News. The Associated Press. 14 March 2006. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
9. ^ "Times admits error in ID of Abu Ghraib man". NBC News. 18 March 2006. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
10. ^ "Photos from Abu Ghraib: The Hooded Men". Der Spiegel. 22 March 2006. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
11. ^ Javaid, Osama Bin (20 March 2023). "Abu Ghraib survivor: Taking the hood off 20 years after Iraq war". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
12. Zernike, Kate (18 March 2006). "Cited as Symbol of Abu Ghraib, Man Admits He Is Not in Photo". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
13. "Resign, Rumsfeld". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
14. Chatterjee, Pratap (3 February 2011). "Donald Rumsfeld, you're no Robert McNamara". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
15. Spens, Christiana (29 December 2018). The Portrayal and Punishment of Terrorists in Western Media: Playing the Villain. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-04882-2.

v t e Iraq War (2003–2011)
Beginning of the Iraqi conflict
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War crimes Occupation forces Killings and massacres During the 2003 invasion U.S. killings of journalists Fallujah killings Killing of Nadhem Abdullah (2003) Murder of Muhamad Husain Kadir Mukaradeeb wedding party massacre (2004) Haifa Street helicopter incident (2005) Tal Afar shootings (2005) Basra prison incident (2005) Haditha massacre (2005) Mahmudiyah rape and killings (2006) Ishaqi massacre (2006) Baghdad detainee killings (2006) Hamdania incident (2006) Iraqi bodyguard killing (2006) Iron Triangle Murders (2006) Baghdad airstrike (2007) Nisour Square massacre (2007) Iraq War Logs (2010) Chemical weapons Use of white phosphorus by the United States (2004–05) Torture and abuse Abu Ghraib prison (2003–06) Camp Bucca (2003–09) Camp Nama (2003–04) Balad Air Base (2003–2011) Death of Nagem Hatab (2003) Killing of Baha Mousa (2003) Death of Abed Hamed Mowhoush (2003) Killing of Manadel al-Jamadi (2003) Death of Fashad Mohamed (2004) § Other killings and bombings 2003 Jordanian embassy Canal Hotel Imam Ali mosque bombing Baghdad October 2003 2004 Erbil 2004 Ashura massacre Basra 2004 Mosul 2004 2004 church bombings Baghdad bombings 14 September 30 September Karbala and Najaf bombings Baqubah 2004 Kufa mosque bombing 2005 Al Hillah 2005 Erbil 2005 Musayyib bombing Baghdad bombings August September Balad 2005 Khanaqin bombings 2006 Karbala and Ramadi Al-Askari mosque 2006 Buratha mosque bombing Sadr City bombings July November Hayy Al-Jihad massacre 2007 Mustansiriya University Baghdad bombings 22 January 3 February 12 February 18 February 29 March 18 April 26 July 1 August Al Hillah 2007 Tal Afar 2007 Iraqi Parliament 2007 Karbala mosque bombings Massacres of Yazidis April massacre Qahtaniyah bombings Makhmour Abu Sayda Al-Askari mosque 2007 Al-Khilani mosque bombing Amirli bombing Kirkuk 2007 Al Amarah bombings 2008 Bagdad bombings February March June Balad 2008 Karbala 2008 Al-Karmah Dujail bombing Balad Ruz bombing Attacks on Christians in Mosul 2009 Bagdad bombings March 6 April June August October December Baghdad–Miqdadiyah Taza bombing Kirkuk 2009 Tal Afar 2009 2010 Nationwide attacks 10 May 25 August Bagdad bombings January February April August September November Baqubah 2010 Baghdad church massacre 2011 Nationwide attacks January August Bagdad bombings January August October Arba'een bombings Tikrit assault Al Hillah 2011 Samarra bombing Al Diwaniyah bombing Taji bombings Karbala 2011 Basra 2011 Other war crimes Raid on Camp Ashraf (2011) Archaeological looting Chlorine bombings Torture by the Wolf Brigade (2004–2011) Prosecution United States and the International Criminal Court Hague Invasion Act Prosecution for the 2003 invasion Abtan v. Blackwater Hamdan v. Rumsfeld Saleh v. Bush Taguba Report § All attacks listed in this group were either committed by insurgents, or have unknown perpetrators
Impact General Casualties Iraq Body Count Iraq Family Health Survey Lancet surveys ORB survey Damage to Baghdad Al-Aimmah Bridge disaster Human rights Humanitarian crisis 2007 cholera outbreak Financial cost Refugees Iraqi Christians Mandaeans Violence against Iraqi academics Political controversies Post-invasion WMD conjecture Iraq scandal in Finland Dixie Chicks comments Plame affair Hood event Death of David Kelly Hutton Inquiry Kidnapping of Angelo dela Cruz 2004 document leak Al Jazeera bombing memo Scott Thomas Beauchamp controversy MoveOn.org ad controversy Six Days in Fallujah Role of Canada War resisters Investigations Senate Report on WMD Intelligence Duelfer Report Chilcot Inquiry Reactions Pre-war Pre-war international reactions Khuy Voyne! Saddam Hussein interview Views on the invasion U.S. public opinion Opposition Criticism United Nations Oprah's Anti-war series Iraqi map pendant Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan Photo Op A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq Bush shoe-throwing incident Protests Halloween 2002 February 15, 2003 March 20, 2003 Bring Them Home Now Tour January 20, 2005 September 24, 2005 January 27, 2007 March 17, 2007 2007 Port of Tacoma September 15, 2007 March 19, 2008 Aftermath in Iraq The rise of ISIL Insurgency (2011–13) War in Iraq (2013–17) War against ISIL (2014–present) U.S.-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021) Insurgency (2017–present)
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• 2000s photographs
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• Works about torture
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