PUNISHMENT FOR SHO – THROWER UP TO IRAQ: WHITE HOUSE

PUNISHMENT FOR SHO – THROWER UP TO IRAQ: WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON:

A White House spokeswoman said on Tuesday that Iraqi leaders are the ones to decide whether punishment is appropriate for the Iraqi journalist who stunned observers by hurling two shoes at President George W. Bush from close range.

``The president believes that Iraq is a sovereign country, a democratic country, and they will have a process that they follow on this,'' White House press secretary Dana  Perino told reporters.

``The president harbors no hard feelings about the incident.''

The surprising scene happened Sunday in Baghdad during an unanticipated trip by Bush. The reporter, Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt, hurled one of his shoes at Bush and then tossed the other at the president. Bush deftly ducked out of the way both times.

The reporter shouted in Arabic, ``This is your farewell kiss, you dog!'' In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of deep contempt.

Al-Zeidi has been handed over to the Iraqi judiciary, an Iraqi official said today, a move that ordinarily signals the start of criminal proceedings.

Hundreds took to the streets today in Baghdad for a second day to demand the release of al-Zeidi, who gained folk hero status in many Arab countries for his actions.