The Iraqi TV reporter who hurled his shoes at George W Bush was kidnapped once by militants and, separately, detained briefly by the US military. Over time, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year-old unmarried Shiite, came to hate both the US military occupation and Iran`s interference in Iraq, his family told The Associated Press on Monday.
Iraqi reporter throws shoes at Bush
Al-Zeidi`s act of defiance Sunday transformed an obscure reporter from a minor TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with the nearly six-year U.S. presence here, but also fearful that their country will fall under Iran`s influence once the Americans leave.
Several thousand people demonstrated in Baghdad and other cities to demand al-Zeidi`s release. The attack was the talk of the town in coffee shops, business offices and even schools — and a subject across much of the Arab world. A charity run by the daughter of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi bestowed a medal of courage on al-Zeidi, calling on the Iraqi government to free him.
Image: In this image from APTN video, a man throws a shoe at President George W Bush during a news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Sunday, December 14, 2008, in Baghdad. The man threw two shoes at Bush, one after another. Bush ducked both throws, and neither man was hit.
Text & Images: (Copyright AP. Any unauthorised reproduction is prohibited.)
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