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Iran Charges American Hikers With Illegal Entry

Says case is being used by West for propaganda

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 4, 2009 8:57 AM CDT

(Newser) – Iran has charged the three American hikers who stumbled across its border with illegal entry, a security official announced today. “They are definitely Americans. We don’t know whether they are tourists or not. We are questioning them,” he said. Authorities accused the West of using the case for propaganda, and state media outlets evinced skepticism that the prisoners were really harmless hikers—at least one is a freelance journalist.

“While BBC said they were mountain hikers, some websites say they were journalists,” said one newscaster on Iran’s top state-run channel. “Since occupation of Iraq by US-led forces, American journalists have traveled to neighboring countries illegally.” Friends and family say the trio didn’t intend to crossover into Iran.

[Images (1)]

[Videos (1)]

This image, taken from his website, ShaneBauer.net, shows captured American Shane Bauer.

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An MSNBC segment on the Americans being held in Iran. (msnbc)

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Hikers: Iran Held Us for Being American

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(NEWSER) - The two American hikers back home from Iran today said Iran held them because they are American, the AP reports. Joshua Fattal said that while he and fellow hiker Shane Bauer "applaud Iranian authorities for finally making the right decision," they "do not deserve undue credit for ending what they had no right and no justification to start in the first place." Fattal added that Iran "always tied our case to its political disputes with the US." More»

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(NEWSER) - After being jailed for more than two years, American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal walked out of Evin prison free men this morning, confirms Iranian state television . Their lawyer had said earlier that they would be released within hours, after a vacationing judge returned and the second signature needed to free them on $1 million bail was secured. In a statement quoted on a semi-official Iranian news agency, the country’s judiciary confirmed the bail request had been “accepted,” reports the Washington Post. More»

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Iran Charges American Hikers With Illegal Entry