Region | Iraq

Al Zaidi vows to repeat Bush attack: brother

The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush says he would do it again and that he was forced to write a letter of apology after being tortured in jail, the journalist's brother claimed on Monday.

  • AP
  • Published: 21:25 December 22, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Muntadar Al Zaidi's outburst during a December 14 news conference with Bush and Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has been repeatedly broadcast worldwide.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Baghdad: The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush says he would do it again and that he was forced to write a letter of apology after being tortured in jail, the journalist's brother claimed on Monday.

Muntadar Al Zaidi's outburst during a December 14 news conference with Bush and Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has been repeatedly broadcast worldwide, making him a symbol for opponents of the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Thousands of Iraqis have rallied to demand his release.

Al Zaidi's trial on charges of assaulting a foreign leader is to begin on December 31, said Abdul Sattar Bayrkdar, a spokesman for the Iraqi Higher Judicial Court. A conviction could bring up to two years in prison.

The prime minister's office said last week that Al Zaidi had written a letter of apology and asked Al Maliki to recommend a pardon. But his brother, Uday Al Zaidi, told the Associated Press that the letter was written against the journalist's will.

Troops stay: Approval delayed

Iraq's parliament speaker has delayed a session to approve a resolution allowing British and other non-American troops to remain in Iraq until July 2009.

Speaker Mahmoud Al Mashhadani called for the delay after some lawmakers demanded his exit on an unrelated issue. The lawmakers said they were boycotting on Monday's session.

Al Mashhadani threatened to resign after he failed to curb a shouting match among legislators over shoe-throwing incident.

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