Iraqi journalist threw shoes at Bush ‘to protest war'

The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush defiantly defended his actions in court on Thursday, saying he had been overwhelmed when confronted by the ex-US president's "icy smile."

Muntazer al-Zaidi won global fame when his footwear whizzed past Bush's head on December 14 as the then president made a farewell visit to Iraq before leaving the White House.

His lawyers used the trial's opening arguments to assert that the remarkable protest was lawful, but the judge brought proceedings to a halt 90 minutes later, saying more information was needed about Bush's trip.

The 30-year-old journalist told the court he had been outraged and was unable to control his emotions when Bush, who ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, started speaking.

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