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| Iraq |
| Shoe-thrower's apology will not affect trial |
| 2008-12-20 |
| Aswat al-Iraq -- The written apology sent by famous Muntather al-Zaydi, a local TV reporter who threw a pair of shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush at a press conference in Baghdad a few days ago, to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will not affect the trial and the investigation, a closed source said on Friday, noting that al-Maliki has only the right to give up his personal right. "Al-Zaydi presented a written apology o al-Maliki, asking him to pardon him, reminding him that he visited him at his house in 2005 to make an interview with him," the source told Aswat al-Iraq, asserting that the apology will not affect the trial. Bush quickly ducked when a pair of shoes was hurled at him Sunday during a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. Several media personnel and intellectuals gathered on Wednesday in front of the headquarters of the Iraqi journalists' syndicate in the capital Baghdad calling on the press institution to mediate for the shoeman's release. Zaydi, 29, has worked for al-Boghdadiya since its establishment in the wake of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. He was kidnapped late last year by unidentified gunmen while stepping out of his home in al-Bab al-Sharqi area, central Baghdad. Four days later he was found lying on the ground near auto selling stores in al-Nahda square, Baghdad, at a late night hour. Zaydi is considered one of the journalists outspokenly criticizing the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq. He had written several reports opposing the U.S. military presence in the country. To Iraqis, the incident represented a major insult to the U.S. president. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 I think this guy ought to get at least a week of jail time. Throwing shoes just ain't cricket. (Although he seemed to have a pretty good arm. Maybe he ought to take up rugby). |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2008-12-20 14:57 |
| #1 It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Iraq. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2008-12-20 11:48 |