Posted on 09/21/2011 11:37:39 AM PDT by Mount Athos
Two US men who have been held as spies in Iran for more than two years left their Tehran jail on Wednesday, accompanied by Omani officials who, according to a diplomatic source, drove them to an airport.
Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal have been in Iranian custody since their arrest on July 31, 2009 on the border with Iraq where they say they were hiking.
The deal to release them was delayed because the judge in charge of the trial - who had to sign off on the agreement - was on vacation until yesterday. The judiciary had said on Tuesday that their release was not imminent, reflecting a rift between the country's ruling and hard-line elites.
Lawyer Masoud Shafie had said last week that the men would be released on $500,000 bail each. A third American, Sarah Shourd, was arrested with the men but was allowed home on $500,000 bail in September 2010.
Shourd's release was similarly delayed for several days by the judiciary after it had been announced.
Washington has denied the three Americans were spies and their supporters complain that no evidence against them has been made public. Their trial took place behind closed doors.
Ahmadinejad's announcement, to US media, that the men would be freed was seen by analysts as a bid to improve his international standing ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting which starts on Wednesday.
Neighboring Iraq said it has helped to mediate the release.
Who paid the bail (which I presume will be forfeited)?
I think I heard on CNN that the nation of Oman was footing the bill for this escapade.
Note to hikers: War zones are not tourist destinations.
One of the recently released hikers was overheard saying to the other that he had already booked their hiking trip to North Korea for the Christmas holiday.
LOL!
Wait. You ARE kidding, aren’t you?
You can't miss them.
So, does this mean we let Ahmanutjob LEAVE the country alive after his visit? Or is the game on anyway?
Anyone heard?
First thing they’ll do when they get home will be to kiss the runway.
Second thing they do will be to go to Best Buy to purchase a GPS.
Yes I am. It wouldn’t surprise me though to hear this actually will happen.
Note Bene: Only the first three dumbasses get book and movie deals.
The first thing these idiots will do is apologise to Achmadenejob for the United States mistreating the Iranian people and then burn the American flag !! These people are nothing and this country would be better off if Iran had kept their sorry A$$ over there.
Who paid the bail/ransom (which I presume will be forfeited)?
Next time maybe these guys will hike Yellowstone and save their families a half million bucks apiece.
It was only $1M. Buffett paid it out of his pocket. . . . . .
He said Jimmy would sing a song about it, to cover it.
Why do you think they’d do that?
I don’t know much about them
Just a couple of Obambi liberals along with that gal that was with them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were not snooping around over there on some kind of Government grant. There has to be more to their story than we have heard.
This is zero’s Iranian hostage crisis moment. He’s still trying to replicate the Carter era. It’s about the only thing he’s good at.
What are the odds that zero will be hammering plywood in three years?
You mean getting hammered at Man's Country, 0bambi's favorite homosexual hangout on the outskirts of Chicago:

His favorite activity? Fellating older white men.
Reuters, a purported “News” organization, uses scare quotes around “Hikers” to make sure it follows the Iranian propoganda line.
yes, i’d like to know who paid $1 million.
Still, I am thankful that they have been released
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