Iraq shoe thrower 'was tortured'
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Muntadar al-Zaidi shouts "this is the end" as he throws his shoes at President Bush
The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former US President George W Bush says he was tortured by senior government officials while in jail.
Shortly after his release from nine months in a Baghdad prison, Muntadar al-Zaidi said he wanted an apology - and would name the officials later.
His relatives say the 30-year-old reporter still fears for his life.
His protest last December made him a hero among many Arabs, but he was jailed for assaulting a foreign leader.
And the BBC's Hugh Sykes, in Baghdad, says many in Iraq regarded his actions as unforgivably rude.
Initially sentenced to three years in jail, he had the term reduced to 12 months on appeal and was released three months early for good behaviour.
Golden horse
After his release he told reporters: "Today I am free again but my homeland is still a prison."
MUNTADAR AL-ZAIDI
Worked for Egypt-based broadcaster since 2005
Was kidnapped by gunmen while reporting in Baghdad in 2007
Detained by US troops for a night in 2008, his brother says, before they freed him and apologised
In pictures: Fashion of shoe-ing
In the shoe thrower's footsteps
Profile: Shoe-throwing reporter
Reuters reported he was slurring his speech because of a missing tooth.
He went on to say he had been suffered beatings, whippings and electric shocks at the hands of officials.
He said his guards had also used simulated drowning.
"At the time that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said on television that he could not sleep without being reassured on my fate... I was being tortured in the worst ways, beaten with electric cables and iron bars," he said.
He demanded an apology from Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and said he would name the officials who tortured him in due course.
His allegations of abuse mirror claims made earlier by his family, who said he had been beaten, suffering a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding.
The Iraqi military denied the allegations.
Zaidi's family has been preparing to hold a party for him, saying he has received offers of money, jobs and even marriage from sympathisers across the Arab world.
His relatives also claim he was even offered a golden horse by the Emir of Qatar.
'Goodbye kiss'
When news of his release filtered through to his family's home in Baghdad, there was an eruption of celebration with women dancing and singing.
His brother, Uday, told a crowd of journalists: "Every time Bush turns a new page in his life he will find Muntadar's shoes waiting for him."
He said Zaidi still feared for his life and would fly to Greece for medical check-ups.
As he flung the shoes at Mr Bush during a news conference with Mr Maliki, Zaidi shouted: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.
"This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."
The incident was seen as hugely embarrassing for both Mr Bush and Mr Maliki.
But in an interview afterwards, Mr Bush insisted he did not harbour any ill feeling about it.
"It was amusing - I've seen a lot of weird things during my presidency, and this may rank up there as one of the weirdest," he said.
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Muntadar al-Zaidi shouts "this is the end" as he throws his shoes at President Bush
The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former US President George W Bush says he was tortured by senior government officials while in jail.
Shortly after his release from nine months in a Baghdad prison, Muntadar al-Zaidi said he wanted an apology - and would name the officials later.
His relatives say the 30-year-old reporter still fears for his life.
His protest last December made him a hero among many Arabs, but he was jailed for assaulting a foreign leader.
And the BBC's Hugh Sykes, in Baghdad, says many in Iraq regarded his actions as unforgivably rude.
Initially sentenced to three years in jail, he had the term reduced to 12 months on appeal and was released three months early for good behaviour.
Golden horse
After his release he told reporters: "Today I am free again but my homeland is still a prison."
MUNTADAR AL-ZAIDI
Worked for Egypt-based broadcaster since 2005
Was kidnapped by gunmen while reporting in Baghdad in 2007
Detained by US troops for a night in 2008, his brother says, before they freed him and apologised
In pictures: Fashion of shoe-ing
In the shoe thrower's footsteps
Profile: Shoe-throwing reporter
Reuters reported he was slurring his speech because of a missing tooth.
He went on to say he had been suffered beatings, whippings and electric shocks at the hands of officials.
He said his guards had also used simulated drowning.
"At the time that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said on television that he could not sleep without being reassured on my fate... I was being tortured in the worst ways, beaten with electric cables and iron bars," he said.
He demanded an apology from Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and said he would name the officials who tortured him in due course.
His allegations of abuse mirror claims made earlier by his family, who said he had been beaten, suffering a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding.
The Iraqi military denied the allegations.
Zaidi's family has been preparing to hold a party for him, saying he has received offers of money, jobs and even marriage from sympathisers across the Arab world.
His relatives also claim he was even offered a golden horse by the Emir of Qatar.
'Goodbye kiss'
When news of his release filtered through to his family's home in Baghdad, there was an eruption of celebration with women dancing and singing.
His brother, Uday, told a crowd of journalists: "Every time Bush turns a new page in his life he will find Muntadar's shoes waiting for him."
He said Zaidi still feared for his life and would fly to Greece for medical check-ups.
As he flung the shoes at Mr Bush during a news conference with Mr Maliki, Zaidi shouted: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.
"This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."
The incident was seen as hugely embarrassing for both Mr Bush and Mr Maliki.
But in an interview afterwards, Mr Bush insisted he did not harbour any ill feeling about it.
"It was amusing - I've seen a lot of weird things during my presidency, and this may rank up there as one of the weirdest," he said.
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