Shoe-Thrower Still Hidden Away
Randall Joyce is CBS News' Baghdad producer.
The lawyers representing Muntader al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush, tried again today to see their client and were again denied access.
Al-Zeidi has not been seen by his family or by any member of the defense team that his family has assembled with the help of his employer, Baghdadiya television.
Read yesterday's post about what this case says about the Iraqi justice system.
Family members have expressed concern that al-Zeidi may have been severely beaten after the incident and is being hidden from view to keep the nature of his injuries from the public.
His continued detention is becoming a political issue here in Baghdad, where thousands have marched demanding his release. The television channel he works for continues to run extended programs featuring interviews and phone call-in segments demanding his release.
Yesterday’s parliamentary debate on the status of British and other coalition forces in Iraq was interrupted by angry demands that al-Zeidi’s legal status be put on the agenda. The session spiraled out of control and the Speaker of the Parliament, Mahmoud Mashadani, walked out threatening to resign.
There are signs the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pushing back against the wave of bad publicity following the incident. The government now says al-Zeidi has written a letter apologizing for embarrassing the Prime Minister in front of the world.
Al-Maliki’s media advisor, Yasin Majeed, claims that in that letter the reporter admits: ”His big, ugly act cannot be excused,” and that he appeals to the Prime Minister’s “fatherly feelings” to be forgiven.
(CBS)
Al-Zeidi has not been seen by his family or by any member of the defense team that his family has assembled with the help of his employer, Baghdadiya television.
Read yesterday's post about what this case says about the Iraqi justice system.
Family members have expressed concern that al-Zeidi may have been severely beaten after the incident and is being hidden from view to keep the nature of his injuries from the public.
His continued detention is becoming a political issue here in Baghdad, where thousands have marched demanding his release. The television channel he works for continues to run extended programs featuring interviews and phone call-in segments demanding his release.
Yesterday’s parliamentary debate on the status of British and other coalition forces in Iraq was interrupted by angry demands that al-Zeidi’s legal status be put on the agenda. The session spiraled out of control and the Speaker of the Parliament, Mahmoud Mashadani, walked out threatening to resign.
There are signs the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pushing back against the wave of bad publicity following the incident. The government now says al-Zeidi has written a letter apologizing for embarrassing the Prime Minister in front of the world.
Al-Maliki’s media advisor, Yasin Majeed, claims that in that letter the reporter admits: ”His big, ugly act cannot be excused,” and that he appeals to the Prime Minister’s “fatherly feelings” to be forgiven.
DISCUSTING!!!
Posted by runningralph
I find it impossible to believe that thousands of Americans gave up there lives so this guy could be secretly laocked away, and possibly abused for throwing a shoe. President Bush should request averything concerning this guy immediately goes public. No body deserves this kind of treatment just for embarrasing a National leader.
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Posted by endurorob at 12:39 PM
Posted by MindURownBiz
No one here has called him a hero but what he did does not justify the abuse he has probably received by a government that is supposedly democratic.
The real tragedies of Rwanda and Darfur show what roles religion and racism play in the destruction of individuals and groups...Whether Muslim or Christian or Jew...the TWO commandments that require we love God and treat our brothers as ourselves....go ignored...so we call it POLITICS. The ultimate lie is to avoid the truth at all costs.
he dies in the hands of the iraqis..how ironic...
bush will leave your arse back in the hands of the devil...
undeserving bunch of heathens
bush will leave your arse back in the hands of the devil...
undeserving bunch of heathens
Posted by Impeach_O at 03:29 PM : Dec 18, 2008
*** Yea... atleast us liberals aren''t afraid of shoe throwers... Omg... its an arab with a shoe... it is a weak of mass destruction! stupid idiot republicans... Why don''t you republicans worry more about coming up with a better candidate for president than amnesty mccain? How about having a candidate that doesn''t support amnesty for millions of illegal foreigners?
Posted by MindURownBiz at 01:02 PM : Dec 18, 2008
*** typical idiot republican! You supported amnesty mccain who wanted to give over 20 million illegals amnesty and would have taken your job... and yet you still supported amnesty mccain even though he is more liberal on amnesty than even the democrats are.. You idiot republicans don''t want to arrest the real criminals like the business owners that are corrupt and your greedy politicians that take millions of dollars in bribes.. instead lets bring a shoe thrower to justice... what idiots! that shoe thrower didn''t do anything to you! Yet the corrupt politicans stole millions of dollars that should have gone to you... again... who is the worse criminal?
Posted by MindURownBiz at 01:02 PM : Dec 18, 2008
*** typical idiot republican! You supported amnesty mccain who wanted to give over 20 million illegals amnesty and would have taken your job... and yet you still supported amnesty mccain even though he is more liberal on amnesty than even the democrats are.. You idiot republicans don''t want to arrest the real criminals like the business owners that are corrupt and your greedy politicians that take millions of dollars in bribes.. instead lets bring a shoe thrower to justice... what idiots! that shoe thrower didn''t do anything to you! Yet the corrupt politicans stole millions of dollars that should have gone to you... again... who is the worse criminal?
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by jgunther7
December 18, 2008 8:14 PM EST
- Credibility2: You dither about the symbolism of a flag and Bush the butcher. Your kind have murdered over a million innocent women, children, and men who''s only sin is to live in a country that owned oil, and not have the military to protect it. You had no justification to invade Iraq and no justification to stay there. The whole pretence for your invasion was a fraud, and yet you stay on. Get out of Iraq and quit disgracing our country.
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