Thaindian News

London, Sep. 18 (ANI): The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at former US President George Bush is uncertain about his future plans, it was revealed during his psychological checkups at a Syrian hospital. Muntader al-Zaidi, who was released from an Iraqi prison on Tuesday, has claimed that he was brutally tortured with electric shocks and repeatedly injected with “unknown substances” while in jail, The Telegraph reports.

Speaking from Damascus, Zaidi said his health was now “good and under control”.

On being asked about his future plans, he said he wants to go to Greece or Switzerland to continue medical checkups but did not say for what and added that his travel plans in general were “unclear.”

He also did not specify when he would return to Iraq.

“I don’t feel that I am outside Iraq. All Arab countries are my country.” He indicated that he hopes to return, saying he wants to “serve my people, the victims of occupations, orphans, widows and handicapped through humanitarian work.”

Al-Zaidi, who became a hero in the Arab world for attacking Bush, was imprisoned at an Iraqi military compound at the former Al-Muthana Airport in Baghdad for three years, but his term was reduced to one since no criminal record was found against him. During a press conference last year, Zaidi shot up from his chair and hurled his shoes toward Bush at the podium, shouting “this is your farewell kiss, you dog!” and “this is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq”.

Recalling that episode, al-Zeidi said: “It was the feeling of an oppressed when he sees the aggressor.” He added that he thought that he might be killed by the bodyguards as he hurled his shoes at Bush.

Zaidi said he lost one of his teeth and damaged another when security officials wrestled with him. (ANI)