Pat Dollard | Young Americans

No word yet on his links to Moqtada Al Sadr (whose positons al-Zeidi has consistently suported), including whether or not Al Sadr or his men approached Zeidi about creating an incident. Al Sadr’s men have been behind the pro-Zeidi “protests” in a few Iraqi cities.

Fox, AFP, AP:

BAGHDAD — The journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush was handed over to the Iraqi military, an Iraqi official said.

He could face charges of insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister, who was standing next to Bush. The offense carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail. Sources tell Fox News the trial could begin as early as tomorrow.

The reporter was initially taken into custody by Iraqi security and interrogated about whether anybody had paid him to throw his shoes at Bush during a news conference Sunday in Baghdad, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

“Muntazer al-Zaidi has been transferred to the judicial authorities who have opened an investigation. But it is too soon to say who was behind this act,” General Qassem Atta, spokesman for a Baghdad security plan, told AFP.

Meanwhile al-Zeidi’s brother claimed he had suffered a broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents.

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

“He has got a broken arm and ribs, and cuts to his eye and arm,” Durgham told AFP. “He is being held by forces under the command of Muaffaq al-Rubaie,” Iraq’s national security adviser.

In Baghdad, the head of the Iraqi Union of Journalists described al-Zeidi’s action as “strange and unprofessional” but urged Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to give him clemency.

“Even if he has committed a mistake, the government and the judiciary are broad-minded and we hope they consider his release because he has a family and he is still young,” Mouyyad al-Lami told Associated Press Television News. “We hope this case ends before going to court.”