Tuesday 02 November 2010

In tweet, State Dept. urges Iran to free hikers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's spokesman sent a birthday greeting to the president of Iran, who turned 54 this week.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley urged Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to send American hikers Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer home.

In a tweet sent Thursday on Mr. Ahmadinejad's birthday, Mr. Crowley said, "What a gift that would be."

Mr. Fattal, Mr. Bauer and a third American, Sarah Shourd, were arrested by Iranian forces in July 2009 while hiking near the border of Iran and Iraq. Mr. Fattal and Mr. Bauer are still being held and are scheduled to stand trial in November on spying charges.

The Iranians freed Ms. Shourd last month on $500,000 bail.

There was no immediate response from the Iranian president.




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