I want to throw my shoe once again: Iraqi scribe

Washington, Dec 23: "He would do it again and he was forced to write a letter of apology after being tortured in jail", said brother of Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W Bush.

Oday al-Zaidi, said that the apology letter from Muntadhar was written against his will after he was tortured in detention. Muntadar, who became an overnight sensation after the act. He spent his first days behind bars believing his family, co-workers and tribe would forever shun him, the man's brother said.

Oday said that the men guarding the 29-year-old journalist at a detention center in the Green Zone forced him to watch a television channel run by Sunni extremists loyal to Saddam Hussein. They also told him that 'Your tribe and your family rejects you,' the Washington, Post quoted Oday, as saying.

In fact, his employer, al-Baghdadia channel, his relatives and people across the Arab world have praised him, Oday said. Oday said his brother was gaunt, devastated and bruised - but unrepentant. "'If I had the same opportunity again, I would throw my shoes,' " Oday said, quoting his brother.Oday said his brother told him guards beat him with a metal pipe after the Dec 14 incident.

"I didn't recognize my brother when I first saw him, Oday al Zaidi said. He also told his brother had a bruised eye, is missing an upper canine tooth and has cigarette-burn marks on the backs of his ears.

ANI