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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Iran opens trial of 3 Americans on spy charges

World Feb. 07, 2011 - 06:21AM JST ( 26 )

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26 Comments

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billabong031Feb. 07, 2011 - 08:47AM JST

So does anyone here actually believe these people were really hikers?
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SuperLibFeb. 07, 2011 - 10:51AM JST

So does anyone here actually believe these people were really hikers?

Or course not. Three people with backgrounds in freelance journalism, teaching, and environmental activism are exactly the type of people who would jump at the chance to be a spy for the CIA.
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sabiwabiFeb. 07, 2011 - 11:25AM JST

So does anyone here actually believe these people were really hikers?

No.

I find their excuse very hard to believe: "They claim they were hiking in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and that if they crossed into Iran it was inadvertent."
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Zenny11Feb. 07, 2011 - 11:34AM JST

Unlikely that they were just hikers.
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LoveUSAFeb. 07, 2011 - 12:29PM JST

So does anyone here actually believe these people were really hikers?

No but is it so easy to disclose an American spy?
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kamonochoumeiFeb. 07, 2011 - 12:59PM JST

They sound like innocents abroad with a copy of the Lonely Planet they picked up at a hostel somewhere. The CIA is far more discriminating in its hiring practices than that. Unfortunately, they are like that poor young American guy who answered George W. Bush's call to go start businesses in Iraq and lost his head in the bargain. Or those three naïve Japanese who went to make peace there (and then got vilified in the Japanese press for interfering with Koizumi's program of sending Japanese soldiers to the safest district in the country to provide water and paint school buildings.) Don't hike in Iraq, whether on the Iranian border or not. If you do, you're painting a please kidnap me sign on your back.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 01:22PM JST

I find their excuse very hard to believe: "They claim they were hiking in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and that if they crossed into Iran it was inadvertent."

Why? Lot's of people do hike in Kurdistan. It is a beautiful place to hike. These people just were not paying attention to where they were. One of their group, the woman, has already been realised. They aren't spies. Spies don't need to go hiking around to get into Iran. Do they?
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sabiwabiFeb. 07, 2011 - 01:41PM JST

Spies don't need to go hiking around to get into Iran. Do they?

Hmmm, you do have a point. Real spies would get a spying visa and enter as a legitimate spy.

Lot's of people do hike in Kurdistan. It is a beautiful place to hike.

Yeah, North Korea is also said to be beautiful.
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manfromamericaFeb. 07, 2011 - 01:57PM JST

sabiwabi - I hope they were spying. We need to keep an eye on the nuke arms progress of Ahmadinejad and the Islamofascist Iranian government.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 02:04PM JST

Real spies would get a spying visa and enter as a legitimate spy.

Is that how they do it? It certainly makes more sense than having people traipsing about the Iranian country side.

North Korea is also said to be beautiful.

I didn't know there were Western expats freely living and working in NK. Did you know there were in Kurdistan. Nah, probably not.
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skipthesongFeb. 07, 2011 - 02:37PM JST

Of all the places they could hike in the US or Canada and they choose Kurdistan?

Spies don't need to go hiking around to get into Iran. Do they?" I don't recall James Bond ever hiking..

You know they are still putting the girl on trial. If I were her, I'd stay far away
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sabiwabiFeb. 07, 2011 - 03:08PM JST

sabiwabi - I hope they were spying. We need to keep an eye on the nuke arms progress of Ahmadinejad and the Islamofascist Iranian government.

We don't need spies for that. Iran signed the NPT and their facilities are open to inspections by the IAEA. Spies are needed in "countries" that are not as open as Iran.

At least these spies were caught in Iran.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 03:14PM JST

skip,

They were living in Kurdistan. Lots of expats live there and lots of them go hiking. They screwed up, but that seems to be the extent of it.

sabi,

Iran has been in violation of the IAEA before. ElBaradei has stated this before. Don't you pay attention? How do you know these people are spies? The woman hiking with them was released already. Was she a spy too.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 03:42PM JST

Again, how is it you know they are spies? There is nothing to suggest this. So, what makes you so sure?

These kids were just careless. One of them, the woman, was already released. I don't think they are spies, they were just naive and extremely careless.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 03:54PM JST

These kids crossed a border by accident. It is obvious they aren't spies. I do agree with your comparison of Iran to NK. They are both repressive regimes and these young naive people should stayed well away from the border. However, I sincerely doubt they are spies.
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manfromamericaFeb. 07, 2011 - 03:54PM JST

At least these spies were caught in Iran.

US, keep spying! These 3 are heroes.
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sabiwabiFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:00PM JST

These kids were just careless...I don't think they are spies, they were just naive and extremely careless...These kids crossed a border by accident.

So, what makes you so sure? I thought this was a closed-door court session!
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:04PM JST

It is obvious that even Ahmadinejad thinks they are innocent. He just wants to get his arms smuggler back from the US in return for their release. Does countries generally release suspected spies on bail? Iran let one of them go already. So, again, what makes you so sure?
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manfromamericaFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:05PM JST

The US needs more spies in Iran. I hope there are many more.
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sabiwabiFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:15PM JST

Does countries generally release suspected spies on bail?

You have a point. Most countries do not, but Iran often shows compassion, as with this one spy. And the US generally releases Israeli spies in secret, without bail.

How about those Russian spies that got caught in the US, they're free, aren't they?
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AdamBFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:20PM JST

Sabiwabi,

You make an excellent point there "but Iran often shows compassion" usually there compassion ends at the hangmans noose or being buried in the ground and stoned. The are soooo compassionate maybe you should read up about Irans compassion towards it people.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:23PM JST

sabi,

The people you mentioned were not released on bail. The situations are hardly the same. Neither are the activities they were engaged in. Again, why is it you are so sure they are guilty?

Moderator: Readers, please stop going at each other. Please focus your comments on what is in the story, not at each other.
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manfromamericaFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:30PM JST

The issue here is how can the US continue to successfully insert spies into Iran, and what is the most successful way Iranian citizen assets are being recruited.
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atamantFeb. 07, 2011 - 04:37PM JST

If I were to be told there were US spies in Iran, I can honestly say I could not care any less about it. However, I think that this was just some naive people crossing an unclear border by accident. It seems Ahmadinejad thinks this too. However, they make good bargaining chips and he wants to make use of them as much as he can.
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manfromamericaFeb. 07, 2011 - 05:14PM JST

atamant - if they weren;t spies, I sure hope the US has lots of real spies in there.
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goddogFeb. 08, 2011 - 12:22AM JST

Definitely guilty...all of them...for stupidity! Make the news and break the news, they got their bit of fame. So now they rot in a prison without toilet paper, but there is a big pile of sand for them to wash up with.