The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at George Bush, the former US president, has himself come under a shoe attack in the French capital at the hands of a fellow Iraqi.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a television reporter, was in Paris on Tueday at a news conference to promote his campaign for the "victims of the US occupation in Iraq" when the attacker turned the tables on him, shouting: "Here's another shoe for you."

Al-Zeidi, who ducked and the shoe hit the wall behind him, said: "When I used this method, it was against the occupation.

"I didn't use it against a compatriot. I always knew the occupier and his lackeys would stop at nothing to get to me."

The thickset man made a brief speech in Arabic during the question and answer session, defending US policy and accusing al-Zeidi of "working for dictatorship in Iraq," before throwing his shoe.

Stolen 'technique'

Al-Zeidi later quipped: "He stole my technique."

It was not clear if the intruder was a journalist or just pretended to be one to attend the news conference at a centre for foreign reporters.

Al-Zeidi's brother, Maithan, chased the attacker in the audience and pelted him with a shoe as he left the room.

Al-Zeidi became a hero among many opponents of the Iraq war when he threw his shoes at Bush during a news conference in Baghdad in December 2008.

"This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq," he said as the shoes left his hand for Bush's face, who ducked and escaped unharmed.

Al-Zeidi was quickly wrestled to the ground by security guards, then imprisoned for nine months before being released in September.

The Paris news conference was held so he could talk about his experiences.

At his appearance in Paris, organised by the Arab Press Club, he said he is staying in Geneva for medical treatment for broken teeth, stomach complaints, fractures and torn back ligaments that he suffered.