Muntadhar al Zaidi
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Muntadhar al Zaidi (Arabic منتظر الزيدي) (alternative spellings in the western media: Muthathar, Muntadar, or Muthathi - al Zaidi or al Zeidi) (born circa 1980)[1] is a Sunni-Muslim Iraqi television journalist from Al-Baghdadia TV, an independent anti-U.S. occupation satellite channel based in Cairo, Egypt.[2] He had been working as a correspondent for the channel since 2005, and is most notable for shouting insults and violently throwing his shoes at George W. Bush at a Baghdad press conference on December 14, 2008.[3] Al-Zaidi's action was criticised by the Iraqi government[4]. The New York Times described al-Zaidi as having become "a huge celebrity in the Arab world and beyond,"[5] because within a day of his action, he had found support not only from his employer, Al-Baghdadia TV,[6], but also from thousands of other people in Iraq[7][5], people in Libya[8] and Syria[5], and by "around 200 lawyers", including U.S. citizens[9] and the Cat's blog[10].
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[edit] 2007 kidnapping
Al-Zaidi first drew international attention on November 16th, 2007 when he was kidnapped on his way to work in central Baghdad. He was released three days later, on November 19th 2007 without ransom.[11][12][13] The editor of Al-Baghdadia TV said on the occasion "This is the act of gangs, because all of Muntadhar's reports are moderate and unbiased."[14] It has also emerged that al-Zaidi had been arrested twice by the United States armed forces in Iraq.[15] He has been very critical of the occupation of Iraq, expressing his wishes that Saddam Hussein was still in power.
[edit] 2008 shoe-tossing at George W. Bush
During a press conference at the Prime Minister's Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, Mr. al-Zaidi threw his shoes at President George W. Bush.[16] "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog," yelled Mr. al-Zaidi in Arabic as he threw his first shoe towards the U.S. president.[17] "This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq," Mr. al-Zaidi shouted as he threw his second shoe.[17] He was then tackled by Prime Minister Maliki's guards, kicked, and rushed out of the room. In the chaos, White House press secretary Dana M. Perino was struck in the eye with a microphone stand.
President Bush ducked and narrowly avoided being hit by Mr. al-Zaidi's shoes. Throwing shoes is an act of extreme disrespect in Arab and Islamic culture.[18]
Some Iraqi reporters present at the scene offered apologies to President Bush. "Thanks for apologizing on behalf of the Iraqi people. It doesn't bother me," Mr. Bush said, and then told a joke that lightened the tense atmosphere in the conference room. "If you want the facts, it was a size 10 shoe that he threw," the President added.[19] When asked about the incident by another reporter, Bush said "It's a way for people to draw attention. I don't know what the guy's cause was. I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it."[19] He also said "That’s what people do in a free society, draw attention to themselves."Al-Zadi's actions nearly mirrors the protest that Nikita Khrushchev did in shunning colonialism by banging his shoe on a table in a 1960 United Nations General Assembly meeting.
[edit] Police response
Al-Zaidi is currently being held and interrogated by the U.S. Secret Service and Iraqi police, who are holding him under unspecified charges. He was tested for alcohol and drugs, and his shoes were confiscated as evidence.[20]
[edit] Criticism of al-Zaidi's action
The Iraqi government criticised al-Zaidi's action and "demanded" an on-air apology from Al-Baghdadia TV.[4]
[edit] Support for al-Zaidi's action
Al-Baghdadia TV issued a statement Sunday demanding al-Zaidi's release.[6] The statement says: "Al-Baghdadia television demands that the Iraqi authorities immediately release their stringer Muntadhar al-Zaidi, in line with the democracy and freedom of expression that the American authorities promised the Iraqi people on the ousting of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. ... Any measures against Muntadhar will be considered the acts of a dictatorial regime".[21][20]
On Monday, December 15, thousands of Iraqis marched in Baghdad to demand the release of Mr. al-Zaidi. Crowds gathered in Sadr City district of Baghdad and called for "hero" Muntadar al-Zaidi to be freed from custody. There were similar scenes in Najaf.[7][5] The "vast majority" of viewers of al-Baghdadia TV who telephoned to the station in order to express their opinions said that they approved al-Zaidi's actions.[5]
Al-Zaidi has been given (in absentia) a bravery award by a Libyan charity group Wa Attassimou, chaired by leader Muammar Gaddafi's daughter. The group also urged for Al-Zaidi's release.[8][5]
In Syria, al-Zaidi was "hailed as a hero."[5]
[edit] Counsel
Saddam Hussein's former lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said he was forming a team to defend al Zaidi and that around 200 other lawyers, including Americans, had offered their services for free. Dulaimi said "It was the least thing for an Iraqi to do to Bush, the tyrant criminal who has killed two million people in Iraq and Afghanistan."[9] An Iraqi lawyer has stated that al Zaidi is likely to get at least two years in prison if he is prosecuted for insulting a visiting head of state, but if charged with attempted murder he could face a 15-year term.[22]
[edit] Symbolic significance of shoe-hurling
Template:Seealso Throwing footwear at someone in Arab culture, be it Muslim, Christian or other (and in non-Arab Islamic cultures) is very disrespectful, an act that carries a particularly significant blow.[23] An example is when Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled in Baghdad in 2003 and many onlookers beat the statue's face with their soles or their shoes.[24].
According to Islamic activists, Muslims consider the bottom of used shoes to be unclean and impure.[25]. Indeed, when devout Muslims encounter footwear resting on the ground upside-down, they are expected to rush and fix it into the proper position; in Islam, it is considered inappropriate and profane to keep the bottom of used footwear facing the sky.
The New York Times notes, in an article about the incident:
The demonstrations in Sadr City and Najaf alluded to the symbolism of the shoes. Participants in Sadr City "waved shoes attached to long poles" and those in Najaf threw their shoes at a passing United States military convoy.[7][5]
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- ↑ http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m49584&hd=&size=1&l=e
- ↑ http://www.juancole.com/2008/12/two-bbc-stories-5-years-apart-leaders.html
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQ_qepPMldIrmehDuPIy1-Zlwi5w
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Loven, Jennifer. "Bush's Iraq-Afghan farewell tour marred by dissent", Kansas News/Associated Press, 2008-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Williams, Timothy; Sharon Otterman. "Shoe-Hurling Iraqi Becomes a Folk Hero", The New York Times, 2008-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/14/bush.iraq/index.html
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Iraq rally for Bush shoe attacker", BBC, 2008-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Shoe-throwing reporter gets bravery award", News.com.au, 2008-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQ_qepPMldIrmehDuPIy1-Zlwi5w
- ↑ http://www.mein-parteibuch.org/blog/this-is-a-goodbye-kiss-you-dog
- ↑ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/RYA672388.htm
- ↑ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/19/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq-Journalist-Freed.php
- ↑ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/RYA672388.htm
- ↑ http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1195127525267
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQ_qepPMldIrmehDuPIy1-Zlwi5w
- ↑ President Bush ducks flying shoes at weird press conference, Jimmy Orr, Christian Science Monitor, December 14, 2008; accessed December 14, 2008.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Shoes thrown at Bush on Iraq trip, BBC, December 14, 2008; accessed December 14, 2008.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/world/middleeast/15prexy.html
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Template:Citation
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Iraq rally for Bush shoe attacker", BBC, 2008-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQ_qepPMldIrmehDuPIy1-Zlwi5w
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQ_qepPMldIrmehDuPIy1-Zlwi5w
- ↑ http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/nation/ny-usshoe155966221dec15,0,566630.story
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hIc6JbVJaVwlTwkUiARRCfbyVVdg
- ↑ Template:Citation
