The journalist who threw a shoe at President Bush back in December is going to jail for three years:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Muntadher al-Zaidi, the man seen as a hero in some circles for throwing his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush, was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday in an Iraqi court.
Al-Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush during a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in December in Baghdad.
Neither shoe hit the president, and other people in the room quickly knocked al-Zaidi to the ground before security officials arrested him.
Family members and journalists were cleared from the courtroom before Thursday’s verdict. After news of the verdict reached family members, al-Zaidi’s brother appeared close to fainting.
Other family members were seen crying and shouting curses about al-Maliki and Bush.
Al-Zaidi was a journalist who worked for the television network al-Baghdadia. The network also called for his release shortly after the incident.
Al-Zaidi explained his actions during an hourlong appearance in February in the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. Asked whether anyone pushed or motivated him, al-Zaidi said he was spurred by the “violations that are committed against the Iraqi people.”
I guess that, technically, Al-Zaidi committed attempted assault, but three years seems rather excessive to me.
in the US, an attempted assault on the president would get at least that time. i think it is a show of solidarity, too, and a reminder to the press corp there – control your temper and remember the pen is mightier than the sword.
This seems like a good sign that things are settling down from “occupied factional terrorist haven” to “normal civilized society”. Al-Zaidi would have been either executed or turned into some kind of national hero otherwise.