NEW YORK (AP) - Two Americans detained for more than two years in an Iranian prison on espionage charges returned to the United States on Sunday, ending a diplomatic event that began with what they called a wrong turn in the wrong country.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York at about 11:00
Both were released from prison last week. They arrived Wednesday in Oman under a handful of $ 1 million bail and were adopted by relatives.
They were arrested together with other hikers Sarah Shourd in July 2009 along the Iran-Iraq border. They say they were just hiking in the relatively peaceful region of Iraq's Kurdish and ended up in Iran may not be correct.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York at about 11:00
Both were released from prison last week. They arrived Wednesday in Oman under a handful of $ 1 million bail and were adopted by relatives.
They were arrested together with other hikers Sarah Shourd in July 2009 along the Iran-Iraq border. They say they were just hiking in the relatively peaceful region of Iraq's Kurdish and ended up in Iran may not be correct.
Before boarding the plane in the Omani capital of Muscat, on Saturday night, the men made brief remarks and thanked the ruler of Oman to help secure their release.
"We hope to one day return to this wonderful country, but for now we are eager to return home eventually," Fattal told reporters.
Bauer said he will not forget the feeling of seeing their loved ones were waiting in Oman.
"Joy covers them all in a long time is here to stay forever," he said.
Furious diplomatic efforts led to the release of Shourd about a year ago, and continue negotiations with the two men. Last month, Fattal and Bauer was sentenced to eight years in prison for each illegal entry into Iran and spying.
The first hint of change in the case came last week when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Bauer and Fattal could be released within days. But disputes between the efforts of the country's leadership delayed. Shafiei Masoud Iranian lawyer obtained court approval is required bail Wednesday - 500 000 dollars for every man.
A few hours later, the gates of Evin prison in Tehran and the U.S. Open went in a convoy of diplomats in Tehran's Mehrabad airport.
Iranian Foreign Ministry called his release a wave of Islamic piety.
Until their release, the last direct connection Prev family members were with Bauer and Fattal was in May 2010, when the mothers were allowed a brief visit to Tehran, where Iranian authorities have used a high-profile propaganda .
After his release from prison last year, Shourd has lived in Oakland, California Bauer, freelance journalist, grew up in Onamia, Minnesota, and Fattal, an environmental activist, is from Elkins Park, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.
Bauer suggested Shourd marriage when they were in prison.
0 comments:
Post a Comment