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Shoe 'thrown at' Sudan's Bashir Man throws shoe at Sudan's Bashir
(about 18 hours later)
A man has thrown a shoe at Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a public meeting, according to witnesses. A man has thrown a shoe at Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir while he was making a public speech in Khartoum.
He missed his intended target, but witnesses said he was immediately arrested by security staff in Khartoum. He missed his intended target and was immediately arrested by security staff.
The president's office denied the shoe incident but said officers detained a man trying to give a note to Mr Bashir. Sudan's official news agency reports that the man, Adel Mahjoub, suffers from severe psychological problems and denies any political motive.
Throwing shoes is hugely insulting in Arab culture - former US President George W Bush had shoes hurled at him during a visit to Iraq in 2008. Mr Bashir is wanted for alleged war crimes in Darfur and is seeking re-election in April. Throwing shoes is hugely insulting in Arab culture.
No reason was given for the reported attack on Mr Bashir, who is wanted on an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes committed during in Sudan's Darfur region. Former US President George W Bush had shoes hurled at him during a visit to Iraq in 2008.
He is seeking re-election in April - the country's first multi-party polls since 1986. Tensions are rising ahead of the election, especially. Mr Mahjoub wanted to hand a list of grievances to Mr Bashir but was prevented from doing so by security agents, reports the official Suna news agency.
One eye-witness told Reuters news agency: "The man was close to the podium and threw the shoe but it didn't reach him." The man, described as smartly dressed and in his 50s, then grew angry and threw his shoe at the president.
Witnesses told the agency the man was smartly dressed, aged in his 40s or 50s and said nothing during the incident. One eyewitness told Reuters news agency: "The man was close to the podium and threw the shoe but it didn't reach him."
"He seemed calm, even after he was arrested," said another witness."He seemed calm, even after he was arrested," said another witness.
Presidential spokesman Emad Sidahmed told Reuters the man "just wanted to give the president a note ... but was intercepted by the security".
The witnesses said they had been attending a conference on strategic planning in Khartoum's Friendship Hall.The witnesses said they had been attending a conference on strategic planning in Khartoum's Friendship Hall.
The authorities say Mr Mahjoub will be handed over to his family once his psychological treatment is finished.
April's elections are Sudan's first multi-party polls since 1986 and Mr Bashir is favourite to be re-elected despite the international warrant for his arrest.