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Bush’s shoe assailant has broken arm, ribs

BAGHDAD: The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George W Bush has a broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents, his brother told AFP on Tuesday.

Durgham Zaidi was unable to say whether his brother Muntazer had sustained the injuries while being overpowered during Sunday’s protest against Bush’s visit to Baghdad or while in custody later. He said he had been told that his brother was being held by Iraqi forces in the heavily fortified Green Zone compound in central Baghdad where the US embassy and most government offices are housed. “He has got a broken arm and ribs, and cuts to his eye and arm,” said Durgham. “He is being held by forces under the command of Muwaffaq al-Rubaie,” Iraq’s national security adviser, he added.

Zaidi, 29, a journalist for private Iraqi television channel Al-Baghdadia, was swiftly overpowered by Iraqi security forces after he threw the shoes at Bush. An AFP journalist said that blood was visible on the ground as he was led away into custody although it was unclear if it was his. Bush, who was on a swansong visit to the battleground that came to dominate his eight-year presidency, ducked when the shoes were thrown and later made light of the incident.

But Zaidi’s action won him widespread plaudits in the Arab world. The Lebanese television channel NTV went as far as offering a job to the journalist. In its evening news bulletin on Monday, it said that if he takes the job, he will be paid “from the moment the first shoe was thrown”. agencies

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