lew you are sounding more and more insane ! just what are you trying to say anyway your last response made no sense at all . On Dec 20, 9:12 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > You are right. > > He would be dead right now. > > On Dec 20, 8:59 am, wncs <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > If it was truly a free country (with freedom of speech) he would not > > be in jail right now. > > > On Dec 20, 8:54 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Why didn't the EGYPTIAN reporter, al-Zaidi , return to Egypt if he was > > > being harrassed in Iraq??? > > > > Iraq is a free country. > > > > No one made him stay in Iraq. > > > > Free to go at any time. > > > > On Dec 20, 8:33 am, Florida Cracker 532 <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > Meet the Man Who Threw His Shoes at Bush: Muntader > > > > al-Zeidihttp://www.alternet.org/blogs/waroniraq/112991/ > > > > Learn more about the man who threw the 'shoes heard round the world,' > > > > and find out what's happening to him now. An Iraqi journalist who > > > > threw his shoe at President Bush has been hailed as a hero across the > > > > Middle East, and is receiving so much attention Wikipedia already has > > > > an entry for him. > > > > > Reuters reports that Muntadhar al-Zeidi will be given an award by a > > > > Libyan charity group called Wa Attassimou. > > > > > "Waatassimou group has taken the decision to give Muntazer al-Zaidi > > > > the courage award ... because what he did represents a victory for > > > > human rights across the world," the group, headed by Aicha Gaddafi, > > > > said in a statement. > > > > > The group said the Iraqi authorities should honour the journalist for > > > > his actions. > > > > > Zaidi, accused by the Iraqi government of a "barbaric and ignominious > > > > act" will be tried on charges of insulting the Iraqi state, said the > > > > Iraqi prime minister's media advisor, Yasin Majeed. > > > > > The AP reports that thousands took to the streets Monday to demand > > > > his > > > > release from jail. > > > > > Journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was kidnapped by militants last > > > > year, was being held by Iraqi security Monday and interrogated about > > > > whether anybody paid him to throw his shoes at Bush during a press > > > > conference the previous day in Baghdad, said an Iraqi official. > > > > > He was also being tested for alcohol and drugs, and his shoes were > > > > being held as evidence, said the official, speaking on condition of > > > > anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. > > > > > Showing the sole of your shoe to someone in the Arab world is a sign > > > > of extreme disrespect, and throwing your shoes is even worse. Iraqis > > > > whacked a statue of Saddam with their shoes after U.S. Marines > > > > toppled > > > > it to the ground following the 2003 invasion. > > > > > Al Jazeera reports that the journalist's employer, Al-Baghdadiya > > > > television, has demanded his release as well. Zeidi faces a minimum > > > > of > > > > two years in prison if he is convicted of insulting a visiting head > > > > of > > > > state, according to the report. > > > > > On Monday, al-Baghdadiya suspended its normal programming and played > > > > messages of support from across the Arab world. > > > > > A presenter read out a statement calling for his release, "in > > > > accordance with the democratic era and the freedom of expression that > > > > Iraqis were promised by US authorities". > > > > > It said that any harsh measures taken against the reporter would be > > > > reminders of the "dictatorial era" that Washington said its forces > > > > had > > > > invaded Iraq to end. > > > > > Al Jazeera also reports that Saddam Hussein's former lawyer, Khalil > > > > al- > > > > Dulaimi, is organizing a team to defend Zeidi. > > > > > "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," > > > > he said. > > > > > "Our defence of Zaidi will be based on the fact that the United > > > > States > > > > is occupying Iraq, and resistance is legitimate by all means, > > > > including shoes." > > > > > The AP reports that al-Zeidi's family members expressed bewilderment > > > > and pride over their brother's defiance of Bush. > > > > > "I swear to Allah, he is a hero," said his sister, who goes by the > > > > nickname Umm Firas, as she watched a replay of her brother's attack > > > > on > > > > an Arabic satellite station. "May Allah protect him." > > > > > The family insisted that al-Zeidi's action was spontaneous -- perhaps > > > > motivated by the political turmoil that their brother had reported > > > > on, > > > > plus his personal brushes with violence and the threat of death that > > > > millions of Iraqis face daily. > > > > > The New York Times Baghdad Bureau Blog quotes al-Zeidi's brother as > > > > saying that he hated the American occupation of Iraq so much he was > > > > willing to cancel his wedding over it. > > > > > Maythem al-Zaidi said his brother had not planned to throw his shoes > > > > prior to Sunday. "He was provoked when Mr. Bush said [during the news > > > > conference] this is his farewell gift to the Iraqi people," he said. > > > > A > > > > colleague of Muntader al-Zaidi's at al-Baghdadiya satellite channel, > > > > however, said the correspondent had been "planning for this from a > > > > long time. He told me that his dream is to hit Bush with shoes," said > > > > the man, who would not give his name. > > > > > Muntader al-Zaidi appears to have a long-standing dislike of the > > > > United States presence in Iraq. He used to finish his reports by > > > > saying he was in "the occupied Baghdad." His brother said that he > > > > hates the occupation so strongly that he canceled his wedding, > > > > saying: > > > > "I will marry when the occupation is over." > > > > > The AP also reports that al-Zeidi was kidnapped by gunmen while on > > > > assignment as a journalist in a Sunni district of Baghdad. he was > > > > also > > > > arrested by American soldiers. Al-Zeidi is a 28-year-old unmarried > > > > Shiite. > > > > > He was freed unharmed three days later after Iraqi television > > > > stations > > > > broadcast appeals for his release. At the time, al-Zeidi told > > > > reporters he did not know who kidnapped him or why, but his family > > > > blamed al-Qaida and said no ransom was paid. > > > > > In January he was taken again, this time arrested by American > > > > soldiers > > > > who searched his apartment building, his brother, Dhirgham, said. He > > > > was released the next day with an apology, the brother said. > > > > > Those experiences helped mould a deep resentment of both the U.S. > > > > military's presence here and Iran's pervasive influence over Iraq's > > > > cleric-dominated Shiite community, according to his family. > > > > > "He hates the American material occupation as much as he hates the > > > > Iranian moral occupation," Dhirgham said. "As for Iran, he considers > > > > the regime as the other side of the American coin."- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
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