Baghdad ? A judge announced a probe Friday into the beating and bruising of an Iraqi journalist’s face moments after he hurled his shoes at President George W. Bush, and said investigators destroyed the shoes in their search for explosives.

The statement to The Associated Press by Dhia al-Kinani, the investigating judge, was the first official word that Muntadhar al-Zeidi was hurt after his outburst at a news conference by Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. According to the judge, al-Zeidi suffered a bruised face and eyes.

He has been in custody since Sunday and hasn’t been seen since by relatives or a lawyer.