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Washington (dpa) - The woman who disrupted a welcoming ceremony for Chinese President Hu Jintao at the White House last week said she had planned to cover the event as a reporter but "couldn't help but cry out" when US President George W. Bush shook Hu's hand.
When Hu began to make remarks last Thursday, Wenyi Wang, standing in a section for reporters, began shouting at the Chinese leader, screaming that his "time is running out," according to a court document. She also yelled that the Falun Gong spiritual group, which is banned in China, "is good."
In a statement printed in the Falun Gong-affiliated newspaper The Epoch Times, Wang said she intended to cover the event and suggested the outburst was spontaneous. Wang, a naturalized US citizen who lives in New York, entered the summit ceremony with a press pass for The Epoch Times.
"I cried out for those Falun Gong practitioners, for those who have been or are going to be dissected alive for their organs," Wang said.
She faces up to six months in prison if convicted on charges of intimidating, coercing, harassing and threatening a foreign official. A federal judge in Washington freed Wang on Friday pending a court hearing expected next month.
The Falun Gong supporter said Friday that she had no regrets.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH