I was tortured, says freed shoe thrower
Updated on 15 September 2009
Muntadar al-Saidi, the Iraqi jailed for throwing a shoe at George Bush, is release from jail - where he claims he was tortured. Sarah Smith reports.
His protest about the Iraq war was one of the most memorable scenes of the George Bush years - the president forced to duck twice as two size 10 shoes were aimed at him while he was giving a news conference with the Iraqi prime minister.
Muntadar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist, was jailed for the attack, turning him into a hero in large parts of the Arab world.
He was released today after serving a year in prison, where he claimed he'd been tortured.
Wearing Iraqi national colours draped round his neck Muntadar al-Zaidi inists he is not a hero, but he has being treated as one here in Iraq and around the world. His 10 second shoe protest landed him nine months in jail.
At the time he yelled "This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people" at then President Bush. Today he explained simply could not help himself.
"When the moment presented itself, I couldn't pass it up," he said. "I couldn't miss the chance to make good on my promise of revenge for every innocent drop of blood shed in the occupation, for the pains of the widowed women and for the tears of orphaned children."
It was obvious that he is missing one of his front teeth and at the TV station where he used to work he described how he was tortured while inside one of Iraqs notorious jails.
"In the prison, I was severely tortured by electricity, cables and iron rods," he said. "Punishments started right away after my arrest. On my first day in jail, they tortured me with cold water and left me in shackles in the cold till morning. Later I will reveal to you name of those involved in torturing me. Some of them are high ranking political and military officials."
Zaidi's family had been warned specificlaly not to publically celebrate his release, yet six sheep were still slaughtered to welcome him home.
At the time, President Bush tried to shrug off the size ten attack he so deftly managed to duck. But Zaidi does not believe US intellegnce services will take it all so lightly, and cheering crowds will not seem like much protection as he says he is convinced America will try to kill him.
