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Muntazer al-Zaidi (R) reacts as a shoe is thrown at him during a news conference in Paris - Source: Reuters -
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An Iraqi reporter imprisoned for throwing his shoes at US
President George Bush found himself on the receiving end of a
similar footwear attack in Paris.
Muntazer al-Zaidi, whose flare-up against Bush last December turned
into a symbol of Iraqi anger, was speaking at a news conference to
promote his campaign for victims of the war in Iraq when a man in
the audience hurled a shoe at him.
It hit the wall next to his head and a scuffle ensued in the
audience, television footage showed.
French media said the attacker was an exiled Iraqi journalist who
spoke in defence of US policy, accusing Zaidi of siding with a
dictatorship, before throwing his shoe.
Zaidi's own outburst summed up the feelings of many Iraqis about
the US military invasion of their country and the ensuing bloodshed
and sectarian killing.
Millions of people around the world saw images of him shouting
"this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog," during a news
conference by the former US leader, before throwing his shoes at
him.
Zaidi, a television reporter, was sentenced to three years'
imprisonment for assaulting a head of state.
This was later reduced to one year and he was released in
September.
He has alleged that he was tortured by guards after his arrest.
