An Iraqi court sentenced on Thursday the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at U.S. ex-president George W. Bush to three years in prison.

Relatives and friends of Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi wave to him as he is transported in an Iraqi military armoured vehicle, after the end of his trial session outside Iraq’s Central Criminal Court in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone February 19, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Judge Abdul Amir Hassan al-Rubaie asked Zaidi during today’s session “are you innocent?”

Zaidi immediately answered “yes, your honor, my reaction was natural, just like any Iraqi would have to done.”

The court sentenced Zaidi for three years in jail for his assault on visiting President Bush.

In his previous appearance on Feb. 19, Zaidi, a reporter of Cairo-based Baghdadia Iraqi television, told the court that he could not control his emotions when he saw Bush who ordered war onIraq in March 2003 in front of him.

He also said that he was not trying to kill the U.S. ex-president and that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was not meant by the attack.

Diyaa al-Saadi, head of Zaidi’s 25-lawyer defense team, said “Zaidi did not commit a homicide or intend to commit one, he was only trying to express his rejection to the killing of his people.”

Zaidi has been in custody after he threw his shoes at Bush during his joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad on Dec. 14, 2008.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet