Deep Dive: The Oath (2013)
Film Lens
The Oath is a documentary directed by Laura Poitras that examines the lives of Abu Jandal and Salim Ahmed Hamdan, two men connected through family ties and their association with Osama bin Laden. Jandal, a taxi driver in Yemen, served as a bodyguard to bin Laden for four years, while Hamdan was captured during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and became the first defendant tried in U.S. military tribunals. The film intercuts their stories, revealing their contrasting paths and the implications of their actions on the broader themes of jihad and loyalty.
The narrative intertwines Hamdan's military trial, where his lawyer challenges the constitutionality of the tribunals, with Jandal's reflections on his beliefs and conversations with his son and students. The film not only presents the personal stories of these men but also addresses significant legal and ethical questions surrounding their experiences, culminating in Hamdan's Supreme Court case that ultimately led to his conviction being vacated in 2012.
Why Watch
- •Meet Abu Jandal, bin Laden's former bodyguard.
- •Follow Salim Hamdan's landmark Supreme Court case.
- •See the impact of the Military Commissions Act of 2006.
Did You Know
•Salim Ahmed Hamdan was the first defendant tried in U.S. military tribunals.
•The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hamdan on October 17, 2012.
•The film won the Excellence in Cinematography Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
•The Oath is part of a trilogy, with the first film released in 2006.
Perfect For
Military tribunalsU.S. Supreme Court casesAl-Qaeda history