Free Republic

From the BNO Newsroom. TEHRAN, Iran (BNO NEWS) -- Three Americans arrested in Iran after crossing into the country on a hiking trip on the Iraqi border have been transferred to Tehran, a U.S. official told ABC News on Friday. Shane Bouer, a freelance journalist and Arabic language student from Minnesota, Joshua Fattal, a student and environmental worker from Oregon, and Sarah Shourd, a Californian writer and teacher in the Middle East, have been in Iranian custody since July 31. The three apparently strayed off course during their hiking trip on the mountainous border of Iraq. Kurd officials met with...

Three Americans who were arrested after crossing into Iran have been accused of being spies, according to a local report. Tehran-based television news channel al-Alam quoted an Iraqi police officer as saying the trio were “working with the CIA.” The Swiss Embassy in Tehran was working to learn more about the Americans' fate through its contacts with the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spokeswoman Nadine Olivieri said. Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran. Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here It also emerged that an American linguistics student traveling in northern Iraq didn't go on an ill-fated hiking trip because he...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - An American linguistics student traveling in northern Iraq didn't go on an ill-fated hiking trip because he had a cold—a twist of fate that prevented him from mistakenly wandering into Iran where his three friends were reportedly detained. The Swiss Embassy in Tehran was working Sunday to learn more about the Americans' fate through its contacts with the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spokeswoman Nadine Olivieri said. Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran. Shon Meckfessel sat out the hike because he had a cold, his grandmother, Irene Meckfessel, told The Associated Press from her home in Carmichael, Calif....