The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Baghdad

The investigating judge in the case of the Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at President George W. Bush says the man shows signs of being beaten.

Judge Dhia al-Kinani said Friday that the journalist had bruises on his face and around his eyes.

The journalist, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, was wrestled to the ground after throwing the shoes during a Sunday news conference with Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Al-Zeidi is in custody and is expected to eventually face charges of insulting a foreign leader.

The judge says the journalist has not raised a formal charge relating to his injuries. He also confirmed that al-Zeidi has written a letter to al-Maliki requesting a pardon.

Another report adds: The head of a large West Bank family wants to reward the Iraqi journalist who lobbed his shoes at President George W. Bush by sending him a bride.

Ahmad Salim Judeh says if journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi is interested the family is willing to send one of their daughters to Iraq along with her dowry.

The 75-year-old Judeh says doing so "would be our honor." He also said Friday that the 500-member clan had raised $30,000 for al-Zeidi's legal defense.

Al-Zeidi has become something of a folk hero in the Middle East since throwing his shoes at Bush at a Baghdad press conference Sunday. News stations across the Arab world have repeatedly shown footage of the incident.

Al-Zeidi is unmarried.