向布什扔鞋记者获释

The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes in protest at former U.S. President George W. Bush has been released（释放） from prison.

Muntazer al-Zaidi said he was whipped, beaten and subjected to electric shocks during his first days in Iraqi custody¹.

Speaking to reporters shortly after his release, the journalist said he now fears for his life at the hands of U.S. intelligence agents.

There was no immediate² reaction from either the Iraqi or U.S. government to his charges.

Al-Zaidi, who faced the cameras wrapped in an Iraqi flag, was missing a tooth, but otherwise appeared in good health. He continued to defend（捍卫） his actions, which he said were directed at "the face of a war criminal."

The journalist said it was humiliating to see his homeland put under the boot of a foreign power. He added that being at a news conference with Mr. Bush last December was an opportunity that he could not waste.

Al-Zaidi, who works for the Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya satellite channel, threw his shoes at Mr. Bush during his final visit to Baghdad as president. Al-Zaidi yelled that it was a "farewell kiss" and called the U.S. leader a dog.

Mr. Bush ducked and was not hit, and later shrugged³ off the incident.

But Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed anger over the incident, considering it an outrage⁴ against a guest to the nation. Other Iraqis echoed that sentiment.

But al-Zaidi argued in court that Mr. Bush did not qualify as a guest.

And for many others, in Iraq and in other nations, the act turned the journalist into an instant folk hero, inspiring rallies, offers of money and marriage, as well as a statue of a bronze shoe.

The journalist says he is not a hero, but rather a man of principle（原则）.

Al-Zaidi was initially⁵ sentenced to three years behind bars, but the term was later reduced, and he was granted additional time off for good behavior. （本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。