IRAQ: Shoe thrower vows never to apologize to Bush, family says

Shoe-throwing journalist Muntather Zaidi told his family he would never apologize to President Bush for hurling his footwear at the American leader, even if he is chopped into pieces, his brother said after visiting him for the first time Sunday.

Muntather has become an unlikely hero to America’s critics for lobbing his shoes at Bush a week ago during the president’s surprise trip to Baghdad. His actions have been praised by religious leaders, ordinary people and governments hostile to the United States and even prompted marriage offers.

Muntather, from the Cairo-based satellite channel Baghdadiya, has been locked away and kept out of the public eye since last Sunday. The Iraqi government announced earlier in the week that Muntather had written to Prime Minister Nouri Maliki requesting forgiveness for attacking Bush. But Muntather’s brother Uday challenged the government’s assertions after the family’s first visit with the shoe-thrower.

“ ‘Muntather said that he was forced to apologize to Maliki and he will never, never apologize to Bush even if they cut him into small pieces,’ ” Uday told The Times after his visit with his brother.

Uday said his brother had lost a tooth and his nose had required stitches because of the beatings he had suffered in custody.

“There were multiple bruises all over his body. There were cigarette burns behind his ears. He was beaten with metal rods. His eyes were swollen. They have assigned two medical doctors … to provide him with treatment in order to hide the evidence of torture,” Uday said

A judge investigating the case told the Associated Press on Friday that Muntather showed signs of having been beaten in custody.

According to his brother, Muntather had no regrets for attempting to hit Bush at a joint press conference with Maliki.  He said Muntather told him: “ ‘I do not regret what I did. If I went back in time, I would do the same thing.’ ”

Uday said his brother wanted the world to know that he threw the shoe not for money, fame or an ulterior motive and had been ready to die.  “ 'I thought I was going to be shot immediately as I saw the bodyguards with the guns standing there, but I really did not care. I was prepared for anything because I did this for my country,’ ” Uday said his brother told him.

Meeting with Iraqi reporters on Saturday, Maliki criticized Muntather for giving the world a “bad image” of Iraq and harming the reputation of its journalists. Even so, Maliki said he made sure the journalist had a pillow, clean sheets and clothing his first night in captivity. He vowed the courts would decide Muntather’s fate. Before speaking, he listened to Iraqi reporters condemn Muntather’s behavior.

-- Caesar Ahmed and Ned Parker in Baghdad

Comments

[Carl K]

This whole episode was hilarious. Here's an everyday Iraqi who has 'shocked and awed' the world as effectively as all those bombs over Bagdad did. His actions have been captured by political satirists and comedians around the world. The idiocy of George Bush lamely ducking to avoid a pair of used shoes has inspired thousands to also say, "let this be your goodbye kiss, dog!"

I have been rolling in the aisles for days. This, indeed, is an apt closing chapter to the George Bush legacy. From "bring 'em on" to "gotta duck under dem high-flyin' shoes!"

[Average American]

This "Iraqi journalist" is a true study in cowardice.

Confident in his newly paid for freedoms, he "bravely" tosses his shoes, claiming it was for "all the widows and orphans".

Where were his shoes when Hussein was killing thousands of his own people with "black rain" chemical agents? Yea, those WMDs that he “didn’t have”…

What a coward!

[Chris]

The guy was a coward and disgrace for the entire journaling world. I don't approve of Bush's policies either, but when the guy used violence as his answer, he deserves every beating he gets. Maybe it will teach him to fall in line or go help build his country up, rather than waisting time throwing shoes.

[Big Jim Slade]

The article doesn't really address what the infamous "shoe thrower" was doing while Saddam was in power.

[BobCov]

True believer. Not many in the US I don't think---certainly not me--would have the guts to say "I'd do it again." It is rather amazing also that TWO shoes were thrown. What was going through the minds of the SS detail?" Oh. Look. A shoe! Oh. Look. Another shoe!" Maybe they're tired of Bush, too?

[francesco sforza]

I suggest President Bush should pardon the man, telling the world that as an American he recognises the right for anyone to dissent and allthough thowing shoes is not the best way to do so he admires the man for his courage and convictions...by doing so Mr. Bush will immediately eliminate all the hype around the event and show what a great democracy the USA is.

[rockchick]

Good for him! He has absolutely nothing to apologize for. Except for the fact that he only lobbed shoes and not, say, a refrigerator or a cannonball or an F-14.

[Allen Braun]

This is tragically funny.

While it is certainly an insult to throw something at a national politician anywhere, Iraqis do not realize that Americans do not take this that seriously and don't care if he apologizes or not.

1. He shamed other Journalists, Iraqi, Middle-Eastern and otherwise with his tantrum: Journalists are supposed to be neutral reporters - not make the news.

2. He shamed himself and lost face.

3. Iraqis do not seem to realize that criticizing, insulting and publicly blasting the president is practically the national sport in America.

The Iraqi government should let him go and let him continue to be a mad laughing stock.

[Dennis Green]

Many Americans watched the shoe throwing event on television and the internet. Most of us wished you hadn't missed. I'm considering sending some steel-toed shoes to that journalist in Egypt.

[FrancescoSforza]

I suggest President Bush should pardon mr. Zaidi (the shoe thower!), telling the world he admires him for his strong convictions an bravery (even though he disagrees with him) and telling everyone that as an american who beleives in democracy he can take some critisism, even in the form of shoe throwing. By doing so, the President will eliminate all the hype around the event and show his friends and enemies what a great and magnanimous person he truly is.
lets not have the market flooded with those turkish shoes as a simbol of protest,

[faith]

FREE MUNTATHER!

Round of applause for this guy, how many millions of men, women and children have died because of a moron in our highest office? He should have every right to protest that in the "democratic" society Bush loves to tout!

[b]

man, this man did so much i have love for him
he stood up to hitler

[Rick Baker]

Is it out of ignorance, bias or both that Bush hating outlets like the Times leave out information like the fact that this clown is a former Baathist angry at Bush for taking away his position of power over other Iraquis? Oh, and Zaidi....the reason you can pull lame stunts like that now and not be executed is that you have this thing called freedom. The person responsible? Bush, and a few thousand dead Americans. I'd rather you just said thanks....and went on your way.

[Scott]

Though I do not condone Mr. Zaidi for his action, I do believe he did it for his own personal reasons. Why should he be "forced" to apologize because he felt compelled to express his anger, whether it be towards the President of the United States or the man who lives next door to him?

[Lisa]

There are many people who would have loved to throw the shoes at Bush. He has been a horrible leader.
Let Muntather go home to his family. Bush deserved what he got.

[Frank Stein]

I can understand not apologizing to Bush. Bush isn't apologizing for invading Iraq either. Of course the scale is very different, one side's public bad behavior, the other side's invasion of a sovereign country for lies and killing upwards of 100k Iraqis and 4000 Americans.

I don't condone the shoe throwing, but I do like the symbol of shaking shoes at Bush. I hope he will be greeted with shaking shoes for the rest of his life. Actually, I hope Obama would have the inspiration to invite the Haigue to investigate and prosecute all our involved leadership. But I am not holding my breath on that one.

Remember these years. It used to be that conservatives did not believe in military adventures. These results are why. It used to be that conservatives did not run up huge deficits. We have begun to live through why.

In a few years, when it is way worse because these economic problems the fools created take time to reveal themselves, I hope Americans will resolve to never again elect a Republican to anything higher than dog catcher.

[milo]

I guess Iraq really isn't free if Zaidi is being held and beaten. $3 trillion dollars, 100,000 dead, untold grief and still no freedom. Bush's second attempt to declare victory was met with the appropriate response.

[JayHavens]

Try not to throw things at foreign leaders you dislike..Heck, there are lots of foreign leaders I'd like to throw a shoe or two at, but alas, we do try to live in a civilized world...and the media..well their job is to report the news, not to make it.

Let this little guy go home, take his pencil and his paper away from him and make him write: "I will not throw my shoes at anyone" ten thousand times on Al-Jezeera Television...that should do it.

Do we really care what happens to this little guy? Honestly, not really.....

[dan]

I wish I could find this sissy and beat his head until he starts shaking. Then I would turn him over and pummel his lungs. Then I would kick him in his stomach. Then I would let him suffer for 10 minutes. Then I would start pummeling his lungs again and be sure to crack 5 or 10 ribs. Then I would not apologize too. Saddam Hussein (the good friend of liberals) would have had him executed.

[wayne]

news item...

bush refuses to pardon shoe thrower zaidi.

bush wants muntather zaidi to suffer to the full extent of the law.

bush has told prime minister maliki to waterboard, then humiliate and torture zaidi

oh well, what's one more tortured dead iraqi?

[W L]

Whatever Muntather Zaidi says. Who cares. Bush will not lose sleep if Mantather doesn't apologize. I'm not.

[Chris]

This man has balls and is a true hero-- unlike the jackass he was throwing his shoes at.

[RichP]

Muntather's actions demonstrated there was at least one patriot in the room. Perhaps there were others.

[toomanypapers]

He should not have been beaten. And this man should be released from jail. All he did was throw some shoes. So they represent contempt ! Big deal!

Perhaps Bush should apologize

[Fred]

Truly fascinating. What this brave man did was to call out the barbaric nature of the Bush regime and their illegal actions over the past eight years.

I am an American and I am not proud to be an American. What Mr. Muntather did was a brave truth-telling to power move and will change the course of history. Bush & His Cronies owe the entire world (the American people included) apologies and atonement for their brutal and twisted actions. No matter how they attempt to spin history this has been a very dark time in American history.

I hang my head low in light of the current American regime. I am sorry for the pain and destruction of the actions of this regime. Mr. Muntather did what I did not: stand up to the brutality of Bush & Cronies.