Video: Hikers Captured in Iran
Video surfaces of three hikers just before they were detained in Iran
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A few months ago, we reported on three American hikers who accidentally crossed the border from Iraq into Iran, where they’ve been detained ever since as security threats. Now, one fellow hiker who chose to stay back has provided video of them in the days just before they got nabbed by Iranian authorities.
Shon Meckfessel was on his way to meet Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal at the scenic Ahmed Awa waterfall when he got the call that they were captured. Since returning to the U.S., he’s released these videos to freethehikers.org, a site dedicated to getting them out. Iranian authorities are notoriously suspicious of Americans as spies, but these videos clearly show the hikers have more in common with your average Bonaroo concertgoer than Jason Bourne:
I can just imagine a Republican Guard captain thinking, “I don’t know…some of those dance moves look pretty CIA to me!” Here’s hoping everyone comes to their senses and these hikers get to hit the trail again soon.
—Ted Alvarez