Iran sentences American man to death

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/iran-sentences-american-man-death-cia-case-082241130.html

By NASSER KARIMI | AP – 1 hr 8 mins ago

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death, state radio reported Monday, in a case adding to the accelerating tension between the United States and Iran.

Iran charges that as a former U.S. Marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission. The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued. Under Iranian law, he has 20 days to appeal.

The 28-year-old former military translator was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan. His family is of Iranian origin. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.

His trial took place as the U.S. announced new, tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, which Washington believes Tehran is using to develop a possible atomic weapons capability.

Iran, which says it only seeks nuclear reactors for energy and research, has sharply increased its threats and military posturing against stronger pressures, including the U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's Central Bank in attempts to complicate its ability to sell oil.

The U.S. State Department has demanded Hekmati's release.

The court convicted him of working with a hostile country, belonging to the CIA and trying to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism, Monday's report said.

In its ruling, a branch of Tehran Revolutionary Court described Hekmati as a mohareb, an Islamic term that means a fighter against God, and a mofsed, or one who spreads corruption on earth. Both terms appear frequently in Iranian court rulings.

In a closed court hearing in late December, the prosecution asked for the death penalty for Hekmati.

The U.S. government has called on Iranian authorities to grant Swiss diplomats access to him in prison. The Swiss government represents U.S. interests in Iran because the two countries don't have diplomatic relations.

Hekmati is a dual U.S.-Iranian national. Iran considers him an Iranian since the country's law does not recognize dual citizenship.

His father, Ali Hekmati, and family friend Muna Jondy, an attorney who has been speaking on behalf of the family, did not immediately respond to emails and phone messages left at their offices before business hours Monday morning.

Similar cases against Americans accused of spying have heightened tensions throughout the years-long standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

Iran arrested three Americans in July 2009 along the border with Iraq and accused them of espionage, though the Americans said they were just hiking in the scenic and relatively peaceful Kurdish region of northern Iraq.

One of them was released after a year in prison, and the other two were freed in September in deals involving bail payments that were brokered by the Gulf sultanate of Oman, which has good relations with Iran and the U.S.

On Dec. 18, Iran's state TV broadcast video of Hekmati delivering a purported confession in which he said he was part of a plot to infiltrate Iran's Intelligence Ministry.

In a statement released the same day, the Intelligence Ministry said its agents identified Hekmati before his arrival in Iran, at Bagram Air Field in neighboring Afghanistan. Bagram is the main base for American and other international forces outside Kabul, the Afghan capital.

It is not clear exactly when he was arrested. Iranian news reports have said he was detained in late August or early September.

Hekmati's father, Ali, said in a December interview with The Associated Press, that his son was a former Arabic translator in the U.S. Marines who entered Iran about four months earlier to visit his grandmothers.

At the time, he was working in Qatar as a contractor for a company "that served the Marines," his father said, without providing more specific details.

[slim 1,530]

Regardless of what this dude was doing over there (who visits grandma for four months?) we have to go in and get him before he's executed.

He is an American.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Regardless of what this dude was doing over there (who visits grandma for four months?) we have to go in and get him before he's executed.

He is an American.

He should have used Skype. Iran, North Korea, etc... countries to stay away from.

[jojolicious 38]

Wow this is really sad. The part that really made me shake my head was when they played his "confession" on tv several months after they had him in custody. I don't want to even imagine what he and his family must be going through.

[slim 1,530]

He should have used Skype. Iran, North Korea, etc... countries to stay away from.

Sure. But there are people with family there and regardless of his reasoning for going... he is an American. Are we just going to ignore the fact that an American citizen has been detained and sentenced to death by a foreign government?

I'm guessing you'd also suggest we just throw up our hands when Americans are abducted by drug gangs in Mexico. "Well, they should've known better."

Wow this is really sad. The part that really made me shake my head was when they played his "confession" on tv several months after they had him in custody. I don't want to even imagine what he and his family must be going through.

Exactly why we should go get this dude.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Sure. But there are people with family there and regardless of his reasoning for going... he is an American. Are we just going to ignore the fact that an American citizen has been detained and sentenced to death by a foreign government?

I'm guessing you'd also suggest we just throw up our hands when Americans are abducted by drug gangs in Mexico. "Well, they should've known better."

Exactly why we should go get this dude.

It's natures way of thinning out the herd. If someone is as stupid to go to places like Iran, especially someone holding a US passport I find it hard to find any sympathy for them. It's the same with those two peeps who got caught sneaking into North Korea, or those idiot hikers who were hiking on the Iraq-Iran border, or Americans who take vacations in Mexico knowing it's a war zone. Nope...let em learn.

We can't help everyone, especially those with the common sense of a peanut.

[Susita 175]

Sure. But there are people with family there and regardless of his reasoning for going... he is an American. Are we just going to ignore the fact that an American citizen has been detained and sentenced to death by a foreign government?

I agree. I don't know how the heck we could 'go get him' though (I doubt Bill Clinton's charm will work on Ahmadinejad like it worked on Kim Jong Il, but we could always try!)

I have friends who came to this country from Iran in '79 (as small kids) with their parents, fleeing the Iranian revolution as refugees. They went to visit a few times (the rest of their family is there) but in recent years, haven't dared gone back because of the increased tensions.

[slim 1,530]

It's natures way of thinning out the herd. If someone is as stupid to go to places like Iran, especially someone holding a US passport I find it hard to find any sympathy for them. It's the same with those two peeps who got caught sneaking into North Korea, or those idiot hikers who were hiking on the Iraq-Iran border, or Americans who take vacations in Mexico knowing it's a war zone. Nope...let em learn.

We can't help everyone, especially those with the common sense of a peanut.

That'd almost be like saying, "If someone can only find a job six months out of the year, we should just let them learn their lesson and not pay them the rest of the year. They should know better."

As an American, you have certain rights. One of your rights is to travel the world and see your family while being afforded the diplomatic protections of our country. We don't stop being Americans just because we go abroad.

I agree. I don't know how the heck we could 'go get him' though (I doubt Bill Clinton's charm will work on Ahmadinejad like it worked on Kim Jong Il, but we could always try!)

I have friends who came to this country from Iran in '79 (as small kids) with their parents, fleeing the Iranian revolution as refugees. They went to visit a few times (the rest of their family is there) but in recent years, haven't dared gone back because of the increased tensions.

Go get him?

We could send a team of Delta operators on C-130s to a remote desert landing strip where they'd link up with helicopters that would transport them to just outside Tehran. The following night they'd be guided by CIA operatives to the place holding the hostage and they'd overpower the guards, transport the hostage to a stadium and then the helicopters would pick everyone up and fly them to an air base where Rangers would take control of the air strip and the C-130s would come back, pick everyone up, and transport them to safety.

Or Obama could just say, "pretty please."

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

That'd almost be like saying, "If someone can only find a job six months out of the year, we should just let them learn their lesson and not pay them the rest of the year. They should know better."

As an American, you have certain rights. One of your rights is to travel the world and see your family while being afforded the diplomatic protections of our country. We don't stop being Americans just because we go abroad.

Better yet how about you go visit North Korea and report back to us how that trip went for ya. I'l be all eyes and ears on here when you post about that one. If ya get time, maybe you could fit in a hiking trip somewhere on the Iran border.

Go get him?

We could send a team of Delta operators on C-130s to a remote desert landing strip where they'd link up with helicopters that would transport them to just outside Tehran. The following night they'd be guided by CIA operatives to the place holding the hostage and they'd overpower the guards, transport the hostage to a stadium and then the helicopters would pick everyone up and fly them to an air base where Rangers would take control of the air strip and the C-130s would come back, pick everyone up, and transport them to safety.

Or Obama could just say, "pretty please."

Or we could send in the Ohio Appleseed militia. I'm sure after watching enough Chuck Norris movies their ready for action.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Why_Me

[The_Dude 1,142]

Regardless of what this dude was doing over there (who visits grandma for four months?) we have to go in and get him before he's executed.

He is an American.

I don't think it's that uncommon that people will go spend extended time with their families overseas. I used to do it in my teens over summer break every year. You say we have to go and get him, do you think this can be accomplished without going to war?

[jojolicious 38]

It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is too much tension between both countries now for the US to do an extraction. Maybe some negotiations could take place though just like the "bail payments" made on behalf of those 2 Americans released in September.

Visiting his family may seem like a stupid and unnecessary decision to some but missing your home country and visiting grandparents who might be on their last breath certainly cannot be considered anything close to a crime deserving of the death penalty.

I always feel sympathetic about people locked up abroad especially in places where the recognition of constitutional rights is minimal or non-existent.

I don't know what the Government should do and I'm relieved that I'm not in the position to have to make a decision. I hope it turns out okay for him though.

[slim 1,530]

Better yet how about you go visit North Korea and report back to us how that trip went for ya. I'l be all eyes and ears on here when you post about that one. If ya get time, maybe you could fit in a hiking trip somewhere on the Iran border.

I have no desire to do those things. However, if I did, or if I had family over there, I may want to.

Or we could send in the Ohio Appleseed militia. I'm sure after watching enough Chuck Norris movies their ready for action.

They're not ready for anyting. You'd laugh if you saw the "Ohio Appleseed militia." It's more like the "Apple dumpling gang" than any militia I've ever seen. There's not a single combat-ready instructor in our entire outfit. There are a couple prior military guys like me who could be whipped into shape in about 12 weeks of serious PT but, as a whole, you'd probably confuse us with a T-ball team.

That being said, if the government (or some rich dude) would outfit me, I'd go on missions to rescue Americans.

I don't think it's that uncommon that people will go spend extended time with their families overseas. I used to do it in my teens over summer break every year. You say we have to go and get him, do you think this can be accomplished without going to war?

Absolutely.

The beauty of Iran is they can declare war on us.... and then what? It's not like they're going to send troops over here. When you look at a threat assessment from somewhere like Iran (or even China) there really is no threat. For some reason, we bought into it with Iraq. How could Iraq possibly be a threat to us? They were a "danger to our national security?" Really? How were they gonna get here? I keep hearing about all these countries that threaten us and pose a danger. How?

It's the same with Iran. They can declare war on us all day but the only thing they could really do is stop the oil flow. Is that a war? Or is that an economic embargo?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Absolutely.

The beauty of Iran is they can declare war on us.... and then what? It's not like they're going to send troops over here. When you look at a threat assessment from somewhere like Iran (or even China) there really is no threat. For some reason, we bought into it with Iraq. How could Iraq possibly be a threat to us? They were a "danger to our national security?" Really? How were they gonna get here? I keep hearing about all these countries that threaten us and pose a danger. How?

It's the same with Iran. They can declare war on us all day but the only thing they could really do is stop the oil flow. Is that a war? Or is that an economic embargo?

Slim, you make Ron Paul cry.

Sorry, i'm not willing to go to war with a country simply because someone made the poor decision to visit family in a nation hostile to us. I have some old friends who were in the same situation and rather than going to Iran, they meet in turkey for a vacation every year. Problem solved.

[Susita 175]

Go get him?

We could send a team of Delta operators on C-130s to a remote desert landing strip where they'd link up with helicopters that would transport them to just outside Tehran. The following night they'd be guided by CIA operatives to the place holding the hostage and they'd overpower the guards, transport the hostage to a stadium and then the helicopters would pick everyone up and fly them to an air base where Rangers would take control of the air strip and the C-130s would come back, pick everyone up, and transport them to safety.

Or Obama could just say, "pretty please."

That's a very elaborate plan, Slim! Sounds like an episode of the A-Team. You forgot the part about knocking Mr. T out so that they can get him on the plane.

They'd tell Obama where to go shove it.

[slim 1,530]

Sorry, i'm not willing to go to war with a country simply because someone made the poor decision to visit family in a nation hostile to us. I have some old friends who were in the same situation and rather than going to Iran, they meet in turkey for a vacation every year. Problem solved.

Good for them, but that's not the issue, is it?

And by "going to war" what are you implying? As I've already stated, we can be at war with Iran all day long and there's nothing they can do to us. Heck, we can completely ignore that "war" and not a single shot would be fired. It would be quite funny, actually. They'd be all mad at us, "But we are at war. Come fight us you cowards." And we'd just keep on ignoring them.

As for the oil supply, we'd just buy from someone else. Economic attrition is a horrible "war" to fight with the United States. Just ask the Soviets.