The United States would have condemned the beating of Muntazer al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist who hurled shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush if that happened, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said on Tuesday.
"Obviously, we condemn any kind of unnecessary force used against the reporter. I don't know that that happened," Wood told a news briefing when asked to comment on the allegations.
"But, certainly, if that did take place, we would condemn that," the spokesman said.
Zaidi, 29, was immediately tackled by security guards on Sunday night after throwing his shoes on Bush at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry has issued an arrest warrant against Zaidi for "committing a misdemeanor for throwing his shoes on President Bush."
"The shoe throwing was also an insult to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki himself," said Abdul Kareem Khalaf, who is head of operation office in the Interior Ministry.
Mass media quoted Zaidi's brother Durgham as reporting that Zaidi was taken to a Baghdad hospital with "a broken arm and ribs "as well as "injuries to his eye and leg," after a beating by security personnel.
Source:Xinhua
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