Shoe Thrower Did It For Pride

BAGHDAD (AP) - An Iraqi journalist says he threw shoes at
then-President George W. Bush to restore pride in Iraq.
He's made his first public appearance today since he was taken
into custody in December. The journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi says
he did not intend to harm Bush or embarrass Iraqi Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki.
He's become something of a cult hero in Iraq and the Arab world
since then, and was greeted by applause from supporters as he
entered the Baghdad courtroom. At the start of his trial, he said
his actions were sparked by what he called the "humiliation" and
"murder of innocent people" in Iraq due to the U.S. occupation.
His attorneys say he has been charged with assaulting a foreign
leader, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The
defense is trying to get the charge reduced.
The trial stands adjourned until next month.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)