New trial date for Iraqi shoe thrower

A new trial date has been set for the Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at then-US President George Bush, a court spokesman said today.

The spokesman for the Iraqi Higher Judicial Council Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said Muntadhar al-Zeidi will face the court on February 19 on a charge of assaulting a foreign leader.

Al-Zeidi has been in custody since the December 14 outburst at Mr Bush’s joint news conference with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.

He had been due to face a trial in December on a charge of assaulting a foreign leader but his defence team won a delay. The defence wanted to reduce the charges to simply insulting Mr Bush.

But Mr Bayrkdar said the charge of assaulting a foreign leader will stand.