Iraqi Shoe Thrower Killed by U.S. Soldiers

Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was freed Tuesday spending nine months in jail for throwing his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush during his last visit to Iran. One day later, on Wednesday, in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, a Fallujah man was shot and killed after throwing a shoe at a U.S. army vehicle.

According to witnesses, Ahmed Latif, 32, shouted abuse at the soldiers before throwing a shoe at a U.S. Army vehicle. He was shot dead as soldiers at first thought it was a grenade attack. The sole of the shoe is considered a severe insult in Arab cultures.

Further, witnesses indicated that Latif was mentally disturbed. The US military's official stance was that the incident was treated as a suspected grenade attack. They said:

“Positive identification of the attacker was made, and US forces fired in self-defence wounding the attacker.

“Local Iraqi police secured the scene and transported the wounded attacker to a local hospital for medical care."

It was later confirmed that Latif died of his wounds.

In the original incident, as he threw his shoes, Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic: "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Watch the video below.

Numerous Rewards Await Bush Shoe Thrower

Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw both of his shoes at then U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Iraq in December of 2008 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday. He was sentenced to one year, six months for each shoe, but he is being released early.

While huring his shoes at Bush, Al-Zaidi shouted "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." The hilarious video is below.

No one has offered the "72 virgins" you might recall, but according to reports, Al-Zaidi has been offered a number of rewards for his "crime."

• The Emir of Qatar has pledged a golden statue of a horse

• An organisation headed by the daughter of Col Gaddafi of Libya awarded him a medal

• An Iraqi living in Morocco has offered the hand of his daughter and women from across the Arab world rang his newspaper asking to marry him

• His company has bought him a new house

• Businessmen have offered to club together to buy him a sports car

• He has been offered jobs by several Arab television networks

• A Saudi businessman offered to buy one of the shoes for $10 million, but they were instead tested for explosives by the US military and then burned

Is that enough reward for time in prison? You'd have to ask Al-Zaidi.

Watch the video:

Bush Shoe Thrower to Get Out Early, For Good Behavior

Remember Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw both of his shoes at then U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Iraq in December of 2008? He was sentenced to one year, 6 months for each shoe, but it now appears he will get out early.

The sole of the shoe is considered a severe insult in Arab cultures.

Originally, al-Zaidi had been sentenced to three years, but the sentence was reduced to 12 months because he had no prior record. According to his lawyer, Karim al-Shujairi, al-Zeidi will now be released on Sept. 14, three months early.

Apparently the early release is for good behavior. al-Shujairi said, "We have been informed officially about the court decision. His release will be a victory for the free and honorable Iraqi media."

al-Zaidi's act of defiance made him a national hero to many Iraqis. The Iraqi administration, of course, demonized him, but many Iraqis emulated his act in nationwide protests, and sales of the so-called "Bush Shoe" (the Ducati Model 271), skyrocketed.

Neither Bush, nor Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was standing next to him, was injured, but Bush was forced to duck, and al-Maliki was embarrassed publicly. As he threw the shoes, al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic: "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

Watch the video below.