09 February,2009 11:52 AM IST | | Agencies
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In this December 14, 2008 file photo, Iraqi journalist
Muntadhar al-Zeidi throws a shoe at President George. Pic/AP
The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former US President George W Bush faces trial next week for allegedly assaulting a foreign leader after an appellate court refused to reduce the charge, a judicial official said yesterday.
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He had been due to stand trial in December but his defense team won a delay as it sought to reduce the charges to simply insulting Bush.
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However, court spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said an appellate court rejected the request and ordered the journalist to face trial on February 19 on the original charge. He did not say when the appeals court issued its decision.
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Bayrkdar refused to speculate what sentence al-Zeidi might receive if convicted, saying it would be up to the court. The defense has said the assault charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
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The bizarre act of defiance transformed an obscure reporter from a minor TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with the nearly six-year US presence in Iraq.
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The case also drew worldwide attention and became a rallying cry throughout the Muslim world for critics who resent the US invasion and occupation.
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Thousands demonstrated for al-Zeidi's release and hailed his gesture, which came in the waning days of the Bush administration. The incident also embarrassed al-Maliki, who was standing next to Bush at the time.
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Neither leader was injured, but Bush was forced to duck for cover as the journalist shouted in Arabic: "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."
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Al-Zeidi's lawyer, Dhia al-Saadi, said the defense would urge the court to consider his act as "a nationalistic expression" which was not intended to harm Bush physically but express opposition to "the occupation."
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"This type of expression is well-known in America and Europe, where people throw eggs or rotten tomatoes at their leaders to express their rejection of their policies," al-Saadi said.
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"When al-Zeidi threw his shoes at Bush, it was this kind of political expression. Therefore, there should be no criminal charges," he added.
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