Iraqi shoe-thrower freed to cheers, celebration

• Source: Global Times
• [09:49 September 16 2009]
• Comments

 
Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi television reporter jailed for throwing his shoes at former US president George W. Bush, is greeted upon arrival at the Iraqi Al-Baghdadia studios in Baghdad Tuesday. Zaidi was released after a nine-month stint in prison. Photo: AFP

Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi television reporter jailed for throwing his shoes at former US president George W. Bush, was freed from prison Tuesday and said he had been tortured with electric shocks and simulated drowning.

Zaidi had been behind bars for nine months, since shouting, "This is the farewell kiss, you dog," at Bush on December 14, seconds before hurling his shoe at the man who ordered the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Speaking at the office of his former employer, Al-Baghdadia television, Zaidi, who was missing a front tooth, said, "I was tortured with electric shocks, beaten with cables."

Denying, however, that he was a hero, he said he had been ashamed of the suffering he had seen in his conflict-wracked country, and he seized the opportunity to insult the man he held responsible.

Zaidi added, "At the time that Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki said on television that he could not sleep without being reassured on my fate, I was being tortured in the worst ways, beaten with electric cables and iron bars."

He said he wanted an apology from al-Maliki, adding that his guards had also used simulated drowning on him – a technique called water-boarding, used by the Americans on suspects arrested after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"I am now free, but my country is still captive. I am not a hero, but I have attitude and opinions," he said. "I feel humiliated to see my country suffer and my people killed."

The journalist’s family and friends howled, clapped and danced when they heard the news by telephone at their home. They have prepared a sheep for slaughter in celebration of his homecoming.

The journalist was initially sentenced to three years for assaulting a foreign head of state but had his jail time reduced to one year on appeal. His sentence was cut further on account of good behavior.

AFP