Iranian-American dual citizen Amir Mirza-Hekmati has been convicted in an Iranian court of charges that he was involved in spying on behalf of the United States against Iran and has been sentenced to death according to the state media.
A former US Marine from Flint, Michigan, Hekmati broadcast a confession on state media last month claiming that he had been “deceived by the CIA” into spying. His family denies the allegation and believes the confession was forced, adding that they believe the trial was neither “transparent nor fair.”
Independent information relating to the charges and conviction have been difficult if not impossible to come by, but the confession came just weeks after multiple CIA spy rings were uncovered, so it may be related.
The Obama Administration condemned the verdict, saying they were “holding innocent Americans for political reasons.” The State Department has also issued a travel warning for dual citizens related to the arrest.
If he actually was innocent, then the Iranians are simply using the techniques learned from our DOD (just round up the usual suspects). The American did get a trial, which is more than DOD´s prisoners get, even if they are Americans. Our government has set precedence.
How do we feel about Iranians using "enhanced interrogation" on Americans, if they are? After all, their country is under terrorist attacks from outsiders – don´t they too have the right to get tough on terrorism? We have set precedence here as well.
We can only hope that the Iranians take a more moralistic approach with their prisoners than our government has with theirs.
Funny how the Iranians are able to present a whack of video, photographic and other evidence to back their charges. While the ;greatest force for good on earth; can't risk national security to present tangible evidence against any of the terrorists they have detained. A 'confession',like his, is the best they've ever been able to do.
The American government is sugar coating things like they care about there military our people.Again some do but most don't.Its really sad land of the free home of the brave,ya right.
How do we know the guy really wasn't a spy?
If the CIA is sending spies around the world, (isn't that what the CIA was created for?), isn't this the type of individual they would want to recruit? Somebody that can fit in, in the target country?
And of course he would be told before going, "If you get into trouble, we will deny everything".
I know it is off-topic but dual-citizenship is wrong!
i agree, iran should not have given this american man citizenship just because his parents are iranian
What puzzles me is why as an Iranian is he wearing an Arab head garment in that photo? Or do some Iranians also wear them?
guilty or not, i hope they let this stupid kid go.
i think he learned his lesson. espionage is a dangerous game with little to no reward, contrary to what James bond movies lead these young guys to believe
Lets see the US is claiming they have covert assetts in Iran, traditionally marines are used for covert ops, He was caught inside Iran, and of course he IS an IRANIAN Citizen and he has fought for America in her wars. Dual citizenship has disadvantages as well. especially if you are in fact split between two nationalities that have effectively been at war for over 30 years. Of course we have to remember here he had a trial, it may have been a trial in the tradition of Judge Roy Bean, but hey thats better than America gives now, he may have been tortured but again America does it and admits it, Cant complain when it is the Americans who set the benchmark on unlawful combatants! The traditional sentence for spying during War and lets not fool ourselves the Pentagon is at War with Iran has been death. It was Perfectly acceptable to execute German Americans caught in the US in WWII.
The diff betw Iran and the U.S. is that in Iran you get a trial before the death penalty, whereas in the U.S. it's the reverse (well, minus the trial part altogether to be accurate).
Shame. Should have just been happy as a Marine, you patriotic American hero you.
Has the CIA ever said, "Alright, you caught us. We admit. He was spying, commiting sabotage, terror bombing and assassinating scientists."? I doubt it.
Brilliant comment from the Obama Administration. Soon, thanks to NDAA, we'll be saying the same on our own shores: “holding innocent Americans for political reasons.” !!
With the US funding terrorism in Iran, does anyone have any doubts it’s saturated the country with spies.
btw. good for the Iranians for giving the guy a trial. Wouldn’t have got that in the US.
The Obama Administration condemned the verdict, saying they were “holding innocent Americans for political reasons.” LOL! Uhmm, kinda like you do at Guantanamo?
If he's guilty Iran is within its rights in executing him. If he is innocent, given how many times America has threatened to attack Iran, the latter can hardly be blamed for being paranoid and overly suspicous.