U.S. Hikers Arrested for 'Illegal Entry'

[Principessa]

What kind of freaking moron flys half way around the world to hike in a country with which we are at war?!

Iran confirms U.S. hikers arrested for 'illegal entry'

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran confirmed Tuesday the arrest of three American hikers who crossed into the country from neighboring Iraq and said they have been charged with "illegal entry," a semi-official news agency reported. Sarah Shourd, like the other two hikers, is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. The three were arrested in the western Iranian city of Marivan, Iraj Hassanzadeh, deputy governor of Kurdistan province, told the Fars News Agency. Earlier, Swiss diplomats in Iran and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had urged Iran to provide information on the hikers. Obviously, we are concerned," Clinton said. "We want this matter brought to a resolution as soon as possible, and we call on the Iranian government to help us determine the whereabouts of the three missing Americans and return them as quickly as possible."

The three American friends -- seasoned travelers who are former students at the University of California, Berkeley -- had been hiking along with a fourth companion through parts of Iraq's Kurdistan region last week. On Friday, the three apparently crossed the unmarked border with Iran and were detained. The fourth companion had stayed behind at a hotel in Sulaimaniya, Iraq. Peshrow Ahmed, spokesman for the security manager of Sulaimaniya, said the three had been in contact with their companion until about 1:30 p.m. Friday when they reported they were "surrounded by Iranian soldiers." No further communication was received.

Current reports allege that at least one hiker is a journalist. Which begs the question, 'Is any story worth your life?' What if you're a crappy writer and you don't get a Pulitzer prize for your trouble?

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

The United States is not at war with Iran, we do not have diplomatic relations.

 

[vince]

Maybe they are spies.

 

[D_Portelay Porquesword]

Surely these people knew what they were doing. I can't believe seasoned travelers would fly all that way and feign ignorance of the hostilities going on in that part of the world and choose to start hiking like that. What is wrong with them?

To me, that is like playing twister in a mind field.

 

[hud01]

I guesss Berkley isn't as selective as it used to be.....

 

[tripod]

I find it HIGHLY conspicuous that we had American citizens just wandering into the "Axis of Evil" by accident. Crazier shit has happened, but it seems ridiculous to me.

 

[faceking]

I guesss Berkley isn't as selective as it used to be.....

Nah, still the same. They require you to be able to spell the school's name for admission consideration. Unless it's Haas School

 

[starstruck]

NO ONE walks close to sensitive borders "accidentally" Of course these "hikers" were US plants. WHY? Don't know that answer.

Spies? CIA? A US plot to paint Iran and/or North Korea as the bad guy and US as the innocent one?

The US always plays the good vs. evil game with the US being the good one. PROPAGANDA US STYLE

 

[faceking]

Iran confirms U.S. hikers arrested for 'illegal entry'

"Illegal entry"????

Is this a remake... as I saw this before... but it was with Christy Canyon and Ron Jeremy... and they were hiking in the hills above the San Fernando Valley, not Iran.

 

[Florida Boy]

Even the USA couldn't raise such idiots.

 

[Elmer Gantry]

I find it HIGHLY conspicuous that we had American citizens just wandering into the "Axis of Evil" by accident. Crazier shit has happened, but it seems ridiculous to me.

Never mind hiking in Iran, who the fuck hikes in Iraq??!!?

Maybe it's the kind that HALO jump out of C17's?