The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former President George W Bush has himself become the target of a shoe thrower.

While speaking at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, was nearly hit in the face by a shoe thrown by what appeared to be another Iraqi man.

Commotion broke out inside the press center as the brother of Muntadhar, Maiytham al-Zeidi, took off his own shoe and charged the man.

Muntadhar, who was unhurt and appeared to shrug off the episode, told journalists that when he threw his shoes at Bush he had thrown them against what he referred to as "the occupation", not a "fellow citizen", who he accused of stealing his technique.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi was released from jail in Iraq in September three months early for good behavior.

Al-Zeidi claims he was beaten and tortured with electric shocks in the days after his arrest in December 2008.

The TV journalist became a hero to many in his homeland and in the Arab world after his protest during Bush's final visit to Iraq as US president.

At a December 14 , 2008, press conference, al-Zeidi hurled his shoes at Bush, shouting "this is your farewell kiss, you dog!" and "this is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq".

Bush ducked twice to avoid being hit and was unhurt, while al-Zeidi was wrestled to the ground by journalists and security men.

The protest was a deep embarrassment to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was standing beside Bush at the time of the incident.