Shoe thrower 'beaten' after Bush incident

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-20  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at United States President George W. Bush during a news conference was beaten afterward and had bruises on his face and around his eyes, a judge said yesterday.

Dhia al-Kinani, the magistrate investigating the incident, said the court had begun an investigation into the alleged beating of Muntadhar al-Zeidi.

Al-Zeidi was wrestled to the ground after throwing his shoes during the news conference on Sunday given by Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The shoe-throwing turned al-Zeidi into an instant folk hero.

Thousands of demonstrators have demanded he be freed and the head of a large West Bank family yesterday said it was willing to offer him one of its eligible females as a bride.

The leader, 75-year-old Ahmad Salim Judeh, said the 500-member clan had also raised US$30,000 for his defense.

There have been conflicting claims about al-Zeidi's condition. One of his brothers said he was harshly beaten, but another said he seemed in a good condition.

Al-Zeidi "was beaten in the news conference and we will watch the tape and write an official letter asking for the names of those who assaulted him," the judge said.

The journalist is in custody and expected to eventually face charges of insulting a foreign leader. A conviction could mean two years in prison.

Al-Kinani confirmed that al-Zeidi had written a letter of apology to al-Maliki. Iraq's president can grant pardons requested by the prime minister, but the judge said a pardon could be issued only after a conviction.

He said he could not drop the case even though neither Bush nor al-Maliki had complained. "This case was filed because of an article in the law concerning the protection of the respect of sovereignty," he said.

Al-Zeidi's brother Dhargham told reporters he suspected that the letter was a forgery.