Iran Reportedly Releases Two American Hikers
- Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:00am by
Billy Hallowell
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Shane Bauer, left, and Josh Fattal, right (AP Photo)
TEHRAN, Iran (The Blaze/AP) — After a judge’s vacation created a snag in the release of two Americans jailed as spies in Iran, Fox News is reporting that they were released today. This revelation came from their lawyer after the court approved a $1 million bail-for-freedom deal that cleared the way for the men to return home after more than two years in custody.
The Iranian attorney for the two, Masoud Shafiei, said earlier that he planned to go to Tehran’s Evin prison to begin the procedure for the release of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.
“The case is over,” Shafiei said. “The court has ordered that they be freed on bail.”
They were arrested along the Iran-Iraq border in July 2009 and sentenced last month to eight years each in prison. A third American in the group, Sarah Shourd, was freed last year on bail.
Shafiei initially said he would meet the two Americans at 3:00 p.m. at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, though he could not independently confirm that the two have now been discharged.
Following their release, the original plan said that they would be handed over to the Swiss diplomats who represent American interests in Iran because the U.S. has no diplomatic relations with Iran.
“Now we can say they are finally free,” the lawyer told The Associated Press. “They can go to the U.S. the way (their friend) Sarah did.”
The case of Bauer and Fattal, who were convicted of spying for the United States, has deepened the mistrust between Washington and Tehran.
Shafiei said the bail of $500,000 for each of the men was posted after some last-minute problems in the bank were resolved. He did not say what the source of the money was.
“There is no obstacle to their freedom now,” the lawyer said. “It’s only a matter of time before they are out of jail.”
The release of the pair will likely follow the pattern of that of Shourd, who was set free last September after a $500,000 bails was posted. She was then flown on a private plane to the Omani capital, Muscat.
Last week, Oman dispatched a plane belonging to the Gulf country’s ruler to fetch the two Americans if the freedom-for-bail was reached.
Omani officials declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings for the Americans’ release. They only said the private plane, sent from Muscat to the Iranian capital last Wednesday, was still in Tehran.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Oman has close ties with both Tehran and Washington and plays a strategic role in the region by sharing control with Iran of the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which is the route for 40 percent of the world’s oil tanker traffic.
The three Americans – friends from their days at the University of California at Berkeley – have maintained their innocence and denied the espionage charges against them.
Their families say they were just hiking in northern Iraq’s scenic and relatively peaceful Kurdish region when they may have accidentally strayed over the unmarked border with Iran.
Since her release last year, Shourd has lived in Oakland, California. Bauer, a freelance journalist, grew up in Onamia, Minnesota, and Fattal, an environmental activist, is from suburban Philadelphia.
Bauer proposed marriage to Shourd while in prison.
Phone messages left for Fattal’s mother and brother in Philadelphia were not immediately returned Wednesday.
It was not clear where the two men will be reunited with their families after their release. The last direct contact family members had with Bauer and Fattal was in May 2010 when their mothers were permitted a short visit in Tehran.
This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
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Comments (73)
Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:48amThese ignoramuses have cost a lot of money and trouble, including diplomatic concessions to the tyrant Iran. For their freedom they should be made to pay the taxpayer all but 2% of any money they will surely make on their stupidity. No way should they make a windfall at the hands of America’s security. They have gifted Iran with propaganda tools for their foolish gallivanting across hostile territories. They owe a debt and it is not to their captors!
Report Post »Pontiac
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 12:08pmI think Iran was trying to create another “hostage crisis” however they failed to realize how little Obama gives a damn about such things.
Report Post »wynnsjammer
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 12:46pmI agree with you Ghandi. Notice how the Liberals despise there own country until they are caught by another that isn’t so civilized. Then all of a sudden they claim to be American and need there country in the worst way. I think we should have left all three of them there and forgot about them. Just think what we could have done with our own Tax Dollars added to our weekly paychecks. Investment sounds good to me.
Report Post »roadhog
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:44amBurgers and Pizza Frist.
Report Post »OK3Wire
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:38amSeriously. I mean, WHO goes “hiking” in a war zone? These nitwits should’ve been left to rot. Instead, they’ll probably end up getting their continued 15 minutes of fame and become the Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton for some loony left-wing-envirowacko causes. Marvelous. *sigh*
Report Post »DreadPirate
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:36amI know this sounds overly paranoid, but just THINK about the way Iran operates and it doesn’t seem so far fetched. Has anybody considered the idea that these people may have been brainwashed? I know it’s highly unlikely, but think about how they’d love to send our own citizens back to us as ticking time bombs. They’ve had two years to work on them. I wondered this when the girl came home originally. Just sayin’….
Report Post »lillymckim
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:46amGood news is they were released the bad news is we had to pay a murdering dictator their kidnapper a $1 million dollars to do so… but that being said..
If they were my sons I would have moved heaven and earth to get them back home!
Welcome home!
Report Post »k9nemesis
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 2:49pmDreadpirate- it doesn’t sound paranoid to me at all in fact that is exactly what I said to my family when I heard they were being released. Let’s pray that we are both wrong.
Report Post »itsmyfirstday
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:24amI wonder if they are still liberal…glad they are released.
Report Post »boxturtle
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:21amThis stinks so bad, why were they over there?
Report Post »Lucy Larue
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:16amGlad they’ve been freed…,yadda,yadda.
Faux spying charge, faux arrest, faux Iranian outrage but.., REAL filthy lucre spent to free these KUMBIYAH nitwits.
Where did the money come from?
Obviously another post from WONDERLAND. Down is up. Up is down. We’re painting the roses red.
Report Post »Lewis Carroll was a genius and a seer!
DreadPirate
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 11:26amHuh?
Report Post »TxMadMac
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:16amExtortion plain and simple for an act of extreme stupidity ! I have no sympathy for any of them. As Forrest Gump once said, “ stupid is as stupid does sir ”
Report Post »olemainer
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 11:31amAmen! WHY would anyone go hiking in a war zone, regardless of whether they did nor didn‘t cross Iran’s border accidentally????????????? Of all the places on planet Earth to take a hike, what kind of imbecile would make Iraq a destination?????????????
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 9:27amHow much did the U.S. spend to get these idiots out? You know they will write a book and probably get a movie deal. I’m glad they are OK but, the government should hand them the bill when they touch down in the states.
Report Post »TWO BITS
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:53amI’m relieved for these young men and their families, but their imbecilic excursion gave Iran propaganda and financial benefits.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 9:28amTwo Dumb Shi**’s …
Report Post »Hope they enjoyed their extended stay..
Bill Rowland
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:53amGranted, their own stupidity got them locked up and it made good propaganda for awhile.
I’m glad they have been released and hope they learned something, but these hippie throw backs who want to spread peace and love seldom learn anything about real life.
OMG Psalm 109:8
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:47amWho cares?? These two are merely members of a threesom of idiots. Iran should have kept them, they would have fit right in with the rest of the idiots over there.
Report Post »rabblechat
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:42amI have yet to see a plausible explanation as to how or why these three ended up “hiking” in the middle of a war zone. Do you just book a stay in Iraq on travelocity.com?
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 10:09amThese men were spies.. I dont’ know why the Jewish press continues to mock our intelligence by calling them Hikers. Actually I do know why.
Bottom line is that Iran showed uncharacteristicly great tolerance and leniency towards these spies. I realize that nothing positive is allowed to be spoken in the Jewish press concerning Iran because our Jewish leaders are so excited over a potential annihilation of Iran that they practically mess in their pants at the mere thought of it but come on…. Hikers on the Iranian border in a War Zone?? Who really believes that? Surely you know better.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:37amSo, what’s next for these clowns?
Report Post »olddog
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:06amGreat Iran is now sending 2 terrorist to America, yep terrorists. These 2 boys are Bezerkley Boys, we know what kind of people come out of Bezerkley. Now we’ll have 2 more people trying to destroy the fabric of America…
Report Post »Mainer forever
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:26amCall me naive, but I don’t pretend to know what is in the hearts or minds of these two men. Its a little too early to judge them. Who knows….after this experience, they maybe THE most patriotic of all the “journalists” out there. Give them a chance before you condemn them is all I’m saying.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:56am.
Report Post »Not enough brains between all 3 of them to think their way out a paper bag. Hey ya’ll! Let’s go to Iraq and go hiking:)…….Another waste of time, money, and breathing air…………….
hootman509
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:40amWere you not young once?
You get wise by making mistakes and learning from them.
I must be the smartest guy in the whole world because I have screwed up so much in my life.
No insult intended
I’m sure they are on the road to becoming conservatives because they have now been “mugged by reality”.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:44am.
Report Post »Some times you don’t have to touch the hot stove to know better………….
tmplarnite
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 1:54pmHave you seen a picture of the Shourd dame in this…look into her eyes… lights are on BUT nobody is home!! Me thinks this was the brain foof of the dizzy liberal babe in this fiasco. Both of these idiots were lusting after her letting their johnsons think for them…it never fails how stupid the male can be when it comes to wuss!
Report Post »djw096
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:50amThese two idiots deserved what they got. It is my hope that they’re next adventure will take them hiking near the North Korean boarder.
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:55amLOL exactly.
Report Post »MARCH4HIM
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:45amThere is somthing about that one kids smile that bugs me…I hope I dont see his but in any up and comming anti-american protest.?.. Hiking on Iranian border.?..Sounds like a Book deal…
Report Post »3 squares and a cot..
ConservativeChristianB1954
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:37amI’ll believe it when I see it
Report Post »MARCH4HIM
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:34amReleased on the same week AKMA’S in town ,didnt see that comming….not.
Report Post »minnievike
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:27amhow much did we the taxpayers pay for this?
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:43amI hear the NORTH KOREAN border is nice this time of year
Report Post »ddg7
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 8:52amDitto! Did the taxpayers pick up the bail bill?
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:12amI’m glad these guys are getting out but I really think they were idiots for being anywhere near Iran. You have to be nuts or have an agenda to contemplate a journey like this……Discuss.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:11amThey should have kept them– Let them spend the 8 years they were given
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:44amYou’re right about that. I‘m not interested what these fools’ reasons were for hiking there. They should know that the rest of the world is not the U.S.A., and when you‘re in these places you’re subject to their laws. It was an embarrassment to us as a country, and it enabled Iran to extort a million and a half dollars from us to boot (I don’t think their families paid it either). Remember Lucy Liu and Lisa Ling, the two reporters that sneaked into North Korea and got caught? As far as I’m concerned, they can still be there.
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:09amThe day we’ve all been awaiting. Another Iran hostage situation ended. Last time the Iraniacs waited until the US Presidency changed hands. I wonder if they know something we don’t?
Welcome to New York Akkie- Have a Nathan’s on me. Add some sauerkraut for old time’s sake.
Report Post »endgamer
Posted on September 21, 2011 at 7:08amAkbardinerjihad visits the US with a Palestinian state vote looming and releases his captive American Hikers? Sounds like the first Iranian hostage crisis all over again.. Unbelievable. This time there was ZERO media coverage.
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