The Celebrity Shoe Thrower

By: Khaled Wassef
Topics: World Watch

Khaled Wassef is part of the CBS News terrorism analysis team in London.

(CBS)

Journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi, 29, has been working as a correspondent for Iraq's Al-Baghdadiya TV since it launched in 2005. Co-workers describe him as a rather quiet and composed.

He was kidnapped by an unknown armed group while on his way to work on Nov. 16, 2007. His captors released him three days later without claiming any ransoms.

He is known for opposing the U.S. presence in Iraq — a stance often openly expressed in his reports.

Baghdadiya, which put a still picture of President Bush bending down to avoid Zeidi's shoe on its homepage, demanded the release of its journalist in a televised statement broadcasted yesterday. (He's being held and questioned by the Iraqi authorities.)

An anchor of the network, which broadcasts from Cairo, read the statement twice, urging Arab and other foreign media agencies to show solidarity with al-Zeidi.

According to Baghdadiya, several Iraqi tribal leaders and members of parliament contacted the channel to voice support.

The incident was front-page news for almost all of the Arabic press.

(CBS)

Al-Quds al-Arabi's editor, Abdel Bari Atwan, dedicated his entire front page editorial to the incident. He titled it "A Farewell Worthy of a War Criminal."

The Al-Ahram newspaper: "Iraqi Journalist Throws His Shoe at Bush and Calls Him a Dog. Bush: 'Those Things Happen When Freedom Prevails.'"

The incident was also broadcasted (repeatedly) on almost all Arabic TV channels.

Al-Arabiya repeatedly broadcasted footage of the shoe attack, which made the opening headline of Aljazeera's main morning news bulletin today.

Sharquiah TV reported that a hundred lawyers had already offered to defend Zeidi, including the late Saddam Hussein's attorney Khalil al-Duleimi.

Here are some of the comments left by readers of the Arabic press:

From Quds al-Arabi:

Reader from Morocco: "The journalist must be released and Bush and the other Iraqi journalist who apologized in the name of the Iraqi press must be put on trial."

Reader from Tunisia: "May Allah have mercy upon your mother, and release you from prison. You're a hero. A hero, a hero."

From Asharq al-Awsat:

Reader from the Palestinian territories: "Muntadar al-Zeidi talked to Bush in a way that matched the atrocities he committed and was heard by the entire world."

Reader from Saudi Arabia: "This journalist is a source of pride to all Arabs and Muslims."

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by sblake63 December 17, 2008 12:35 AM EST: The idiot who toss his shoes at bush has broken bones because of the incident. What a hero huh?

Got to love those arabs. Perhaps a few more cruisw missiles will silence them finally!; Reply to this comment


by impeach_o December 16, 2008 6:39 PM EST: Journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi should understand that because of bush..he is throwing shoes at politicians instead of politicians PEELING HIS SKIN OFF for even thinking of throwing shoes at ploticians.

and the liberal media is guilty of reckless journalism
however what is is starting to become really disturbing is

THESE PEOPLE DO NOT DESERRVE OUR HELP AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE TREATED LIKE ANIMALS..

let them kill each other off..; Reply to this comment


by impeach_o December 16, 2008 2:21 PM EST: The American military worldwide now needs to ponder if what this reporter did will inspire a wave of shoeicide attacks not only in Iraq but wherever Americans are?
A serious threat in my opinion......

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Posted by closethippy1 at 09:24 AM : Dec 16, 2008
+ report abuse

********I hope what this MORON inspired is for the muslim world to throw a shoe or two at thier OWN LEADERS so they dont have to worry about those pesky "americans"

ever wondered if this moron ever threw a show at saddam?; Reply to this comment


by jamster31 December 16, 2008 2:12 PM EST: We should respond by losding up a b-2 bomber with shoes and drop them on Baghdad.
Actually Bush should be put on trial for war crimes. he''s resposnible for the deaths of thousands of our soldiers and thousands of Iraqi''s.; Reply to this comment


by closethippy1 December 16, 2008 12:24 PM EST: The American military worldwide now needs to ponder if what this reporter did will inspire a wave of shoeicide attacks not only in Iraq but wherever Americans are?
A serious threat in my opinion......; Reply to this comment


by avsuvorov December 16, 2008 5:31 AM EST: American reporters should have done the same thing back in 2003 when Bush and his henchmen were lying their arses off in order to attack Iraq. That might have saved 200,000 Iraqi and 4,200 American lives, as well as
TWO TRILLION DOLLARS!; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 December 16, 2008 1:24 AM EST: I hate to admit it but shrub was right and made a good point

"The Al-Ahram newspaper: "Iraqi Journalist Throws His Shoe at Bush and Calls Him a Dog. Bush: ''Those Things Happen When Freedom Prevails.''"

Muntadar al-Zeidi, will show himelf a real hero when he throws a shoe at the terrorists in front of the cameras of the world. Bush made possible his action, he could not have survived throwing a shoe at Saddam!!!!!; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 December 16, 2008 1:22 AM EST: I hate to admit it but shrub was right and made a good point

"The Al-Ahram newspaper: "Iraqi Journalist Throws His Shoe at Bush and Calls Him a Dog. Bush: ''Those Things Happen When Freedom Prevails.''"

Muntadar al-Zeidi, will show himelf a real hero when he throws a shoe at the terrorists in front of the cameras of the world. Bush made possible his action, he could not have survived throwing a shoe at Saddam!!!!!; Reply to this comment


by mrmeatspin December 15, 2008 9:59 PM EST: Looks like Muntadar misunderestimated Bush''''s agility....

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Posted by earache4 at 05:29 PM : Dec 15, 2008
+ report abuse

*********

and i think he overestimated the conviction of these liberal morons to THINK THEY WOULD SAVE HIM FROM some serious arse kicking from the iraqi army; Reply to this comment