The New York Times has been caught with its hood down. Or up.  Apparently a prisoner the Times triumphantly identified on its front page as the infamous hooded Abu Ghraib prisoner... isn't. And his tale of horrible, horrible torture at the hands of the evil, evil US military? Hmm, some doubts about that too. 
 
But why was the Times caught with its facts down? Could it be their sources?

"We attempted to verify the claims of Mr. Qaissi thoroughly. We spoke with representatives of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, who had interviewed Mr. Qaissi and believed him to be the man in the photographs."

Yeah, that could the problem. Which is why the Times is publishing its correction deeeeeep in the paper, not on the front page.
 
Read more about it here and here. 

Ethel C. Fenig    3 15 06