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Brother: Iraqi shoe-tosser seen by judge in jail

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-17 23:04

BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush appeared before a judge Wednesday but in his jail cell, his brother said, alleging the reporter must have been too seriously injured to appear in a courtroom.

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, Dec. 14, 2008, in Baghdad. The man threw two shoes at Bush, one after another. Bush ducked both throws, and neither man was hit. [Agencies]

Related readings:  Bush shoe thrower in military custody  Family: Shoe thrower hates US, Iran role  Iraqis take to street for release of shoe-thrower  Iraqi shoe-throwing reporter becomes the talk of Iraq

The allegations came as Iraq's hot-tempered parliament speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, announced his resignation after a parliament session erupted into chaos as lawmakers argued about whether the journalist should be freed.

The family of Muntadhar al-Zeidi went to the Central Criminal Court expecting to attend a hearing, said his brother, Dhargham. He added they were told the investigative judge went to see him in jail and that they should return in eight days.

"That means my brother was severely beaten and they fear that his appearance could trigger anger at the court," he added.

Iraqi officials and another brother have denied that the journalist suffered severe injuries after he was wrestled to the floor. 

The reporter throwed his shoes during a press conference by Bush on Sunday, shouting in Arabic, "This is your farewell kiss, you dog!" In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of deep contempt.

Al-Zeidi was held for allegedly insulting a foreign leader, a charge that carries a maximum of two years in prison. Under the Iraqi legal system, the case is given to a judge who investigates the allegation, weighs the evidence and recommends whether to order a trial.

The process can take months, and it is normal for initial hearings to be conducted informally rather than in a formalized setting common in US and British courts.

Thousands have taken to the streets in the days since al-Zeidi's arrest, heralding his actions and calling for his release.

The protests were echoed in parliament as lawmakers who had gathered to review a resolution calling for all non-US troops to withdraw from Iraq by the end of June.

Lawmakers loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr interrupted the session, saying parliament should be focusing on al-Zeidi's case rather than the proposed legislation.

The argument escalated with lawmakers screaming at each other, and finally leading al-Mashhadani to say: "I have no honor leading this parliament and I announce my resignation," said Wisam al-Zubaidi, an adviser to Khalid al-Attiyah, parliament's deputy speaker.

An official in the speaker's office said he was unsure about the seriousness of al-Mashhadani's announcement, but says it may have been made because he was nervous. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Al-Mashhadani, a member of the minority Sunni faction, has previously threatened to resign and has been suspended for embarrassing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with erratic behavior.

About 1,500 demonstrators took to the streets Wednesday in the Baghdad Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah to demand his release.

"This is a natural reaction to the American acts of tyranny and occupation in Iraq," said demonstrator Khalil al-Obeidi a resident of Azamiyah said.

Shiite lawmaker Bahaa al-Araji said he expected al-Zeidi, who's in his late 20s, to be released on bail in the next few days while the investigative judge considers the case.