Saddam Lawyer to Defend Bush Shoe Attacker [View All]

[tekisui]

Source: Capital News

AMMAN, Dec 15 - Saddam Hussein's former lawyer said on Monday that he was forming a team to defend the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George W. Bush during his farewell visit to Baghdad.

"So far around 200 Iraqi and other lawyers, including Americans, have expressed willingness to defend the journalist for free," the Amman-based Khalil al-Dulaimi told AFP.

"I took the decision on Sunday night to defend the man after the incident. I am currently contacting Arab bar associations to form a defence committee."

Television journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi jumped up as Bush was holding a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday, shouted "It is the farewell kiss, you dog" and threw two shoes at the US leader.

Both missed after Bush ducked, but Zaidi was wrestled to the ground by security guards and frogmarched from the room.

"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," said Dulaimi.

"Zaidi should be released immediately."