World-Famous Shoe-Thrower to See His Sentence Reduced
Muntadhar al-Zaidi can surely consider himself as Iraq's most celebrated journalist, even though he has been kept under custody since a fateful day, Dec. 14, 2008.
Today, he can also consider himself as one of the luckiest, as his sentence for insulting a foreign leader has been reduced and will end on Sept. 15.
Back in December, al-Zaidi had the temerity to show then-President of the US George Bush one of the Arab world's most insulting gestures, throwing a shoe at his head.
AP Photo
Al-Zaidi's first attempt missed (above), thanks to President Bush's agile dodge, and then his second one went also amiss. The entire world saw his outrageous show of contempt.
But his sudden encounter with world-wide popularity also turned him into a folk hero throughout the Arab world, who blamed Bush for an illegal invasion of Iraq that has cost hundreds of thousands of dead and untold misery among both Iraqis and American invaders.
His gesture also turned him into a criminal found guilty of an offense that cost him a three-year prison sentence.
"We have been informed officially about the court decision," al-Shujairi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "His release will be a victory for the free and honorable Iraqi media."
Judicial spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said he had no immediate information about the release because it was a weekend.
Followers of anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who were among the leaders of many of the demonstrations demanding al-Zeidi's release, welcomed the decision to free him early.
"We believe that al-Zeidi did not commit any crime but only expressed the will of the Iraqi people in rejecting the U.S. occupation," Sadrist lawmaker Falah Shanshal said. "Al-Zeidi's image will always be a heroic one."
One thing is for certain: Al-Zeidi can expect a hero's welcome in the Arab world once he is released from prison.
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