Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi was being hailed as a hero last night after saving the US president from a terrorist mosquito. Mr al-Zaidi spotted the mosquito sitting on the wall behind President Bush during a press conference in Baghdad also attended by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
"It was just getting ready to carry out its mission of stinging the President," said the Iraqi journalist "So I did the only thing I could - I took off my shoe and swatted the bastard."
President Bush expressed gratitude to the man the media have dubbed "Iraq's James Bond." Experts later peeled the al-Qaeda mosqito off Mr al-Zaidi's shoe and confirmed that the insect was wearing a suicide belt laden with explosives. President Bush was visiting Iraq as part of a surprise farewell visit to the region.
