The Iraqi Government's blocking of any news of Muntazar al-Zaidi's status, as politics turns to other issues such as the showdown
over the status of the troops from Britain and five other countries, is almost complete today --- at least in the "Western" media.
The
only story of significance is in
The New York Times, reporting on the first visit to al-Zaidi by a family member. Speaking on al-Baghdadia television after the visit, al-Zaidi's brother Uday claimed that his brother had been "tortured". Muntazar al-Zaidi was stripped to his underwear, had cold water dumped on him, and was hit with a thick cable. Earlier beatings and burnings by cigarettes had left him with "bruises on his face, stitches on the bridge of his nose and swelling in his legs, arms and hands".
After the treatment, Muntazar al-Zaidi "told [his captors] to bring me a blank sheet of paper and I would sign it, and they could write whatever they wanted. I am ready to say I am a terrorist or whatever you want.” He added, however, that he did not write or sign anything as a result of the beatings and that his letter to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had not been coerced.
Significantly, the
Times did not bother to follow up on the Al Baghdadia interview, for example, by noting
the reports in Sunday's The Observer of Muntazar al-Zaidi's beating on his way to the police station. The reporter did call al-Maliki's office who --- unsurprisingly --- declined to make any comment.
Disturbingly, al-Zaidi has not been allowed to see lawyers. There is no information on when he might come to trial.
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 8:59