Iraq Shoe Thrower, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, Wants Pardon According To Prime Minister's Spokesman

From AP
A spokesman for Iraq's prime minister says the journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has asked for a pardon.

Spokesman Yassin Majid says that in a letter sent Thursday to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the journalist described his behavior as "an ugly act" and asked to be pardoned.

Majid says that Muntadhar al-Zeidi in the letter recalls the kindness the prime minister once showed him during an interview in 2005 and asked for al-Maliki to show him kindness once again.

Al-Zeidi, a correspondent for an Iraqi-owned television station based in Cairo, Egypt, could face two years imprisonment for insulting a foreign leader.

Reuters goes into more detail about the letter that Muntadhar al-Zeidi sent to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki:

"Zaidi said in his letter that his big ugly act cannot be excused," Majeed said...

...One of Zaidi's brothers said he had no information about him but found the idea he sent Maliki an apology unbelievable.

"This information is absolutely not true. This is a lie. Muntazer is my brother and I know him very well. He does not apologize," Udai al-Zaidi said. He added: "But if it happened, I tell you it happened under pressure."

Zaidi was brought before an investigating judge on Tuesday and admitted "aggression against a president," a crime that could incur a 15-year sentence, judicial officials said. He could face trial soon.

Comments

[westreal]

They must have tortured him

[marymansour]

Yeah, I'll bet that's it.

[teknofyl]

They did. He was beaten just outside the room as the finished the presser, and he has since had his hand and his ribs broken.

Nice 'democracy' you got there... that 'rule of law' is SOMETHING ELSE (entirely).

[ChristiB]

He doesn't deserve an apology. I wish the shoe had've hit him in the head - both shoes! LOOK AT THE STATE OF THE WORLD - better or worse since Bush took office? All of this is not a result of 911. It is the result of 'leadership' of the very worst President in U.S. history.

[nolabels]

Get pardoned, released and then get back to your shoe throwing. The world needs you.

[AbbieHoffman2]

I agree. The world is waiting for an interview from its greatest hero. I just raided my wife's closet - I got a whole box of size 7s ready to go. (some w/3" heels) . hmmm.