Bush's Iraq assailant has broken arm, ribs: brother

Baghdad, Dec.16 (ANI): The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush has a broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents, his brother told reporters on Tuesday.

Durgham Zaidi was unable to say whether his brother Muntazer had sustained the injuries while being overpowered during Sunday's protest against Bush's visit or while in custody later.

According to The News, he said he had been told that Iraqi forces were holding his brother in the heavily fortified Green Zone compound in central Baghdad where the US embassy and most government offices are housed.

"He has got a broken arm and ribs, and cuts to his eye and arm," said Durgham.

"He is being held by forces under the command of Muaffaq al-Rubaie," Iraq's national security adviser, he added.

Zaidi, 29, a journalist for the private Iraqi television channel Al-Baghdadia, was swiftly overpowered by Iraqi security forces after he threw the shoes at Bush in a gesture seen as the supreme mark of disrespect in the Muslim world.

Bush, who was on a swansong visit to the battleground that came to dominate his eight-year presidency, ducked when the shoes were thrown and later made light of the incident. (ANI)