Bush and the shoe man

Iraq to probe 'custody abuse' of Bush shoe assailant

Dec 16 10:04 AM US/Eastern

Iraq's justice system is to probe the case of the journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George W. Bush, officials said on Tuesday, as his brother said he had been beaten up by security agents.

"Muntazer al-Zaidi has been transferred to the judicial authorities who have opened an investigation. But it is too soon to say who was behind this act," General Qassem Atta, spokesman for a Baghdad security plan, told AFP.

The journalist's brother, meanwhile, said he has a broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents.

Durgham Zaidi was unable to say whether Muntazer had sustained the injuries while being overpowered during Sunday's protest against Bush's visit to Baghdad or while in custody later.

He said he had been told that his brother was initially held by Iraqi forces in the heavily fortified Green Zone compound in central Baghdad where the US embassy and most government offices are housed.

"He has got a broken arm and ribs, and cuts to his eye and arm," said Durgham.

Zaidi, 29, a journalist for private Iraqi television channel Al-Baghdadia, was swiftly overpowered by Iraqi security forces after he threw the shoes at Bush in a gesture seen as the supreme mark of disrespect in the Muslim world.

An AFP journalist said that blood was visible on the ground as he was led away into custody although it was unclear if it was his.

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The person threw shoes.

Throwing any object is a crime. Here, in the US, in Canada, UK, France, Germany - assault. It is equally so, when you throw the shoes at a world leader. Whether he be Chinese or Cuban, or American.

The security jumped the person and in the process, he may have suffered a bruise.

It is interesting when reading the article, the brother states that "he had been beaten up" but he was "was unable to say whether" his brother "had sustained the injuries while being overpowered" or "while in custody later."

We then get down to the best part - the brother said he learned of this when he was "told."

he has not seen, he has been told. From what he was told - by the police, he has deduced quite a bit. He should be on Sherlock Holmes.





Iraq