Shoe-Throwing Journalist: "I felt innocent blood running under my feet"

[SuperTrouper]

Iraqi journalist, Montazer al Zaidi, who threw his shoes at former President Bush during a press conference said that he "did not want to kill the leader of the occupation" whom he has classified as "the first assassin" of the people of Iraq.

Al Zaidi, 27, made this declaration in front of the Central Iraqi Penal Tribunal during the first session of the trial against him, according to his lawyer Diaa al Saadi.

When the judge allowed Al Zaidi to speak, he said: "I saw a dark world when I observed the cold smile from Bush when he spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and was telling him that he would have dinner with him after the press conference".

The reporter was referring to a joint press conference given by Bush and Al Maliki in Baghdad last December 14th, during which Al Zaidi threw his shoes at the US President yelling at him: "this is the goodbye kiss, you dog".

"I felt that innocent blood was running under my feet when I saw Bush's smile, who came to say goodbye to Iraq in a last supper, after leaving behind more than a million martyrs, besides the economic and social destruction of the country", added Al Zaidi, a reporter for the satellite TV channel Al Bagdadia.

The journalist was detained after the incident and accused of "attacking a Chief of State during an official visit", a crime punishable by 15 years in jail.

"I threw the first shoe at Bush but it did not hit him, so unconsciously I threw the second shoe...I did not want to embarrass the Prime Minister and did not want to kill the chief of the occupation forces", claimed Al Zaidi.

After a brief session, the tribunal announced that the judicial audience would be postponed until 12 March 2009.

According to judicial sources, the judges are awaiting information that may be key in the process against the journalist, related to formalities that were met or that should have been met in his case.


Translation Roberto1223/Super Trouper

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/02/19/internacional/1235063760.html

[Cha]

1. I hope they

don't demand to make some kind of example out of him to grease the bushit wheels for any purpose.

[SuperTrouper]

2. I hope that the judges "waiting for information" decide to

set him free, after all, Bush was not hurt and in a way I can understand the journalist's feelings.

[Cha]

3. And, I can understand why

they made a friggin Shoe Monument to him in Iraq!

[Uzybone]

4. Let him off with time served