Baghdad - Montazer al-Zaidi, the TV reporter who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush, was not present in court when his trial opened Wednesday, al-Zaidi's brother said Wednesday.

Cited by Iraq's INA news agency, Durgham al-Zaidi said the defendant's three brothers and three lawyers were in attendance at the trial that is taking place in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.

In court, the officiating judge said he met with Montazer al-Zaidi privately and that he was "cooperative."

No news was provided about his health. Montazer al-Zaidi's family have expressed fears that he has been mistreated. He is said to be held by Iraqi forces in the Green Zone.

Al-Zaidi will face seven to 10 years behind bars if found guilty of "aggression against a president," according to the official spokesman for the higher judicial council, Abdel Sattar al-Bairaqdar.

Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrated in the streets of Baghdad calling for al-Zaidi's release, chanting: "Al-Zaidi the hero of Iraq, the lion of Mesopotamia." (dpa)