Al-Zaidi said he had thrown his shoes at Bush for 'the injustice that fell on my people, and how the occupation humiliated my country by placing it under its shoes'.

'The occupation divided us and made our homes places of constant mourning. Our streets and parks became our graves. This was my only response for a murderer who comes after years of killings and humiliation to boast of victory and democracy. It was the suitable response when all standards had been violated,' the journalist said.

Al-Zaidi's protest made him a hero in Iraq and across the Arab world.

Iraqis erected a giant statue of a shoe in the journalist's honour. Libyan leader Moamer al-Gadhafi said he would bestow his country's highest decoration, the Libyan Medal of Honour, on him. The emir of Qatar promised him a golden horse, al-Baghdadia reported on its website.