Middle East News

Iraqi shoe-throwing reporter asks for pardon from prime minister

Dec 18, 2008, 20:11 GMT

Baghdad - The Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush asked Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to forgive him, according to media reports on Thursday.

During a press conference with Bush and al-Maliki on Sunday, Montazer al-Ziadi threw his shoes at the visiting US leader while shouting in Arabic: 'This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.'

Al-Arabiya news channel reported that al-Zaidi expressed his regret for his 'ugly action' and asked al-Maliki to pardon him 'like a son asking his father for forgiveness.'

'I have interviewed you in the summer of 2005 and I remember you told me to come back any time, and I plead for this fatherly kindness in you,' read the plea.

Al-Ziadi, who has worked for the Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya since 2005, is being tried at the Iraqi Criminal Court and will face seven to 10 years behind bars if found guilty of 'aggression against a president.'

Throwing shoes at someone is a grave insult among Arabs.

The 29-year-old reporter's case opened in Baghdad on Wednesday, without him being present.

Arabs all over the region have expressed their support of al-Zaidi and many of them have protested his imprisonment. Others hailed him as 'a hero' and a 'brave man.' Clips of him hurling the shoes and Bush ducking to escape the projectiles have been repeatedly shown on television.



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You can't even get his name rightDec 19th, 2008 - 09:26:09

MUNTADHAR AL ZAIDI Shoe throwing incident

Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush and said 'This is a farewell kiss, you dog! This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq'During a press conference at the Prime Minister's Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, al-Zaidi threw his shoes at United States President George W. Bush. Throwing shoes is an act of extreme disrespect in both the Arab and Islamic cultures.[16] 'This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog,' yelled al-Zaidi in Arabic as he threw his first shoe towards the U.S. president.

'This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq,' he shouted as he threw his second shoe.

President Bush ducked twice, avoiding being hit by the shoes. Al-Zaidi was then pulled to the floor] by another journalist, before being grabbed by Prime Minister Maliki's guards, kicked, and rushed out of the room.

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