NEW : Al-Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush while Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were holding a Sunday news conference after the president 's surprise visit to Baghdad . Journalist just looking for notoriety , he says . Hundreds of students carried banners demanding release of Dar al - Islam . Al - Zaidi was described by reporters as an ` ` honorable Iraqi '' Brother The reporter criticized American , Iranian influence in Iraq .
NEW : Journalist just looking for notoriety , he says . Hundreds of students carried banners demanding release of Dar al - Islam . Al - Zaidi was described by reporters as an ` ` honorable Iraqi '' Brother The reporter criticized American , Iranian influence in Iraq .