Bush 'shoe thrower' freed from Iraqi jail

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

The Iraqi man who threw his shoes at former U.S. President George W. Bush last year, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, was freed from jail Tuesday, his brother told CNN. Udey al-Zaidi confirmed the release of his brother, who was serving a one-year sentence.

Under Iraqi law, a "conditional discharge" allows for the release of a prisoner after he serves three-quarters of his sentence, on good behavior.

Al-Zaidi has been in jail since the December 14 news conference, during which he threw his shoes at Bush and called him a "dog" -- two of the worst insults in the Middle East.

Bush ducked to avoid the shoes and was not hurt.

Al-Zaidi said he was protesting against the U.S. "occupation" of Iraq.

As Bush listed the gains made in Iraq during the news conference, al-Zaidi said, he thought about the millions of civilians who had been killed, widowed or displaced.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/15/iraq.shoe.thrower/index.html

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TV reporter Muntadher al-Zaidi, shown in a file photo

[Egnever]

1. 9 Months too long !

Cant wait to see his smiling face

[trusty elf]

13. I agree.

[Chemisse]

2. He's my hero!

[SpiralHawk]

3. "You don't have me to kick around anymore. Smirk." - xCommander AWOL (R)

[ScottLand]

4. Yay!

There's No Business Like Shoe Business!

:toast: :thumbsup: :fistbump: :headbang: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause:

[cal04]

5. Iraq shoe thrower 'was tortured'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8256525.stm

The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former US President George W Bush says he was tortured by senior government officials while in jail.

Shortly after his release from nine months in a Baghdad prison, Muntadar al-Zaidi said he wanted an apology - and would name the officials later.

His relatives say the 30-year-old reporter still fears for his life.

[Hubert Flottz]

6. Does he get the Iraqi medal of freedom and a new suit?

And some hard toe work boots?(smartboots)(clusterboots)

[tclambert]

7. When will he get a fat endorsement deal from Nike or Adidas?

"Air al-Zaidi's"

[Mortos]

9. You know Bush was a total douchebag

but...I hope the secret service agents are a little faster to respond to threats than they did in this deal with President Obama. Guy got off two shoes and it was other Iraqi reporters that took him down.

[customerserviceguy]

10. Also, I find it ironic

that some people cheer the shoe thrower, then talk about "decorum" on Joe Wilson threads. I guess it's all a matter of who is getting the shoe or the insult thrown at them that matters.

[lunatica]

11. You don't see the difference?

Really?

Obama didn't invade South Carolina with shock and awe and kill untold numbers of residents and torture SC residents and call it God's Will. If he had then Joe Wilson might also be considered a hero around here.

[Swagman]

8. and now it's time to jail the war criminal he threw the shoes at

[cindyfaulkner]

12. Too bad he missed

all I'm saying.

[Turborama]

14. The link's been updated: Bush 'shoe thrower' claims he was tortured in prison

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi man who threw his shoes at then-President George W. Bush last year said Tuesday that he was beaten and tortured while he was detained.

Muntadhar al-Zaidi told reporters after he was released that he was beaten with cables and pipes and tortured with electricity immediately after guards removed him from a news conference for hurling both shoes at Bush.

He said he was taken into another room and beaten even as the press conference continued.

"At the time that (Iraqi) 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 was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying.

However he remained defiant about the incident that landed him in prison.

"I got my chance and I didn't miss it," he told reporters.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/15/iraq.shoe.thrower/index.html

Video report on his release: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/15/iraq.shoe.thrower/index.html#cnnSTCVideo


Muntadhar al-Zaidi speaks to reporters shortly
after his release from an Iraqi jail.