Iran sentences alleged U.S. spy to death

[News_Editor]

Iran sentences alleged U.S. spy to death

2012-01-10 00:16:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

TEHRAN (BNO NEWS) -- An Iranian court on Monday sentenced a U.S. citizen to death on charges that he worked as a spy for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), state-run media reported.

28-year-old Amir Mirzai Hekmati, who was born in Arizona but is of Iranian descent, was arrested in December 2011 on charges he spied on Iran for the CIA. Iranian state TV later aired a video in which Hekmati confesses to the charges, although it is unknown if he was forced to do so.

According to Iranian prosecutors, Hekmati was hired by the CIA in May 2009 to carry out espionage operations in Iran. He previously served as a U.S. Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan where Iran claims he underwent decade-long intelligence training and had access to classified information.

"In this mission I was fooled by the CIA and although I had entered Iran with a mission to infiltrate in the Islamic Republic of Iran's intelligence systems and to turn into a new source for the CIA, I didn't want to hit a blow to Iran," Hekmati said in his confession on state TV.

On Monday, branch 15 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced Hekmati to death after being convicted of attempting to infiltrate Iran's intelligence apparatus in an alleged effort to 'implicate' the country in sponsoring terrorism. Under Iranian law, he has 20 days to appeal.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. government is still trying to confirm the reports through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents American interests as the U.S. and Iran have no formal diplomatic relations.

"If true, we strongly condemn this verdict," Nuland said. "Allegations that Mr. Hekmati either worked for, or was sent to Iran by the CIA are simply untrue. The Iranian regime has a history of falsely accusing people of being spies, of eliciting forced confessions, and of holding innocent Americans for political reasons."

Hekmati's family has insisted that he is not a spy and was simply visiting his grandmother.

Nuland urged the Iranian government to grant the Swiss protecting power immediate access to Hekmati. "[We also urge the Iranian government to] grant him access to legal counsel and release him without delay," she added.

In September 2011, Iran's Judiciary approved the release of two U.S. citizens who were earlier convicted of espionage and illegal entry. Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal had been sentenced to eight years in prison a month earlier.

Bauer and Fattal were arrested in July 2009 along with Sarah Shourd when they crossed the border in Iraq's Kurdistan region into Iran. Iranian prosecutors charged them with entering the country illegally and having links to U.S. intelligence, a claim which the defendants and their families have repeatedly denied.

According to the detained Americans, they were hiking in Iraq when they unknowingly crossed the unmarked border into Iran where they were arrested by border guards. Iranian prosecutors rejected those claims, saying there was 'compelling evidence' that they were spies.

Shourd was released on September 14, 2010, after 14 months of imprisonment. She was released on a $500,000 bail on 'medical concerns,' although no details were provided. Bauer and Fattal were also released on a $500,000 bail although none of them will return to Iran.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-01-10

[Pakboong]

It is funny that the OP calls this guy "alleged" after he has been convicted and sentenced. I guess that is doublespeak, about which I am not familiar.

[Scott]

The OP does not call the guy 'alleged'. It refers to his effort to implicate Iranian intelligence in sponsoring terrorism as alleged.

"...On Monday, branch 15 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced Hekmati to death after being convicted of attempting to infiltrate Iran's intelligence apparatus in an alleged effort to 'implicate' the country in sponsoring terrorism...."

[flying]

It is funny that the OP calls this guy "alleged" after he has been convicted and sentenced. I guess that is doublespeak, about which I am not familiar.

Well actually the title reads........Iran sentences alleged U.S. spy to death

But the accused himself said that although fooled in a sense that he did in fact enter Iran with a mission.........

"In this mission I was fooled by the CIA and although I had entered Iran with a mission to infiltrate in the Islamic Republic of Iran's intelligence systems and to turn into a new source for the CIA, I didn't want to hit a blow to Iran," Hekmati said in his confession on state TV.

Edited January 10, 2012 by flying

[Jingthing]

Simples. Iran's "justice" system is illegitimate. They are in a war stance with the USA now. They have a history of torturing prisoners and producing false confessions for political theater. Their government is a totalitarian theocracy. The outside world has no business taking its courts actions against Americans at face value.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Jingthing

[Wallaby]

Simples. Iran's "justice" system is illegitimate. They are in a war stance with the USA now. They have a history of torturing prisoners and producing false confessions for political theater.

You talking about Iran or the US?

[Jingthing]

Simples. Iran's "justice" system is illegitimate. They are in a war stance with the USA now. They have a history of torturing prisoners and producing false confessions for political theater.

You talking about Iran or the US?

Bush or Obama? You know what I said. I don't know if the American is a spy or not, but you can't trust the government of Iran to say he is either.

[Ulysses G.]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

[Jingthing]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

Exactly. That's what they do to Americans in Iran.

[up-country_sinclair]

Not that he deserves to be killed, but he probably is a spy.

[Jingthing]

Not that he deserves to be killed, but he probably is a spy.

How do you know? Like those hikers who were also convicted? I agree, he might be a spy. But a conviction by the Iranian regime is meaningless. Of course, they use captured Americans as political pawns. Edited January 10, 2012 by Jingthing

[up-country_sinclair]

Not that he deserves to be killed, but he probably is a spy.

How do you know? Like those hikers who were also convicted? I agree, he might be a spy.

Settle down. I don't know if he's a spy or not, and neither do you. Based on the information in the OP, I posted that he probably is a spy and you posted that he might be. In short, both of us believe the possiblity exists that he is a spy, and I think it to be somewhat more likely.

[flying]

Simples. Iran's "justice" system is illegitimate. They are in a war stance with the USA now. They have a history of torturing prisoners and producing false confessions for political theater.

You talking about Iran or the US?

[maidu]

We don't know whether he was a spy or not. If he was a spy, he wasn't clandestine about it. On BBC, they say he voluntarily went to visit his relatives in Iran.

I agree, one can't accept a 'confession' at face value from a place like Iran. Did the Iranians find any communications or communication devices (linked to US operatives) on the guy?

[GentlemanJim]

Clearly this man is yet another victim of the Political game of chess being played whilst the USA, Israel and Iran carry out their rutting on the world stage, with the rest of us helpless to influence the outcome. Spy or not it appears his timing was very misjudged and if he is a spy then the CIA's preparation and support of him can at best be described as clumsy. Without the onslaught of sanctions it is likely he would have been given 5 years and let out in 2 months as a way of showing their 'humanity' (sarcasm!).

All that aside lets just not go there with comments concerning Iran being a nation that tortures prisoners, extracts false confessions and executes them. The USA tortures prisoners, it executes prisoners and extracts false confessions, and just as wickedly as Iran it does it to its own people. I doubt anyone can not feel some kind of sympathy to that poor misguided very young man called Bradley Manning who has languished in total solitary confinement in a room with nothing other than a Bed and blanket in it for how long now??? a year? It is torture, like it or not to place a human in those conditions, and importantly WITHOUT charge. Lets see the false confession that poor guy comes out with to slide all the blame onto Assange. When are folks on here going to realise that generally the citizens of the world are ok, both the ordinary US folk and Iranian folk are nice people, but both sets of Governments are plagued with self serving traitors who can all be described as evil bar stewards in their own right. I am sick to death of politicians and even more sick to death that we elect them and allow them to do these things to us. It is folly on our part and they (the politicians) do these evil deeds in our name.

Edited January 10, 2012 by GentlemanJim

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies have been deleted.

This article is not about the US Prison system.

Re-read the OP and stick to the topic.

[JUDAS]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

Hard to believe anything "Iran coerced out of this guy". Just playing devil's advocate but, the same could be said for anything coerced out of someone during water boarding.......

[Jingthing]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

Hard to believe anything "Iran coerced out of this guy". Just playing devil's advocate but, the same could be said for anything coerced out of someone during water boarding.......

Yeah, Judas, but here, in this thread, the topic is about an American prisoner in IRAN.

[JUDAS]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

Hard to believe anything "Iran coerced out of this guy". Just playing devil's advocate but, the same could be said for anything coerced out of someone during water boarding.......

Yeah, Judas, but here, in this thread, the topic is about an American prisoner in IRAN.

Indeed it is. My point is quite clear in regards to IRAN. IF IRAN used interrogation techniques which are not generally accepted by the international community, I'm simply pointing out that they are not alone. So you see, my post does relate to the OP and UG's post, whether you care to see it or not.EDIT: Quote from the OP "U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. government is still trying to confirm the reports through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents American interests as the U.S. and Iran have no formal diplomatic relations."If true, we strongly condemn this verdict," Nuland said. "Allegations that Mr. Hekmati either worked for, or was sent to Iran by the CIA are simply untrue. The Iranian regime has a history of falsely accusing people of being spies, of eliciting forced confessions, and of holding innocent Americans for political reasons." In the OP Victoria Nuland clearly mentions forced confessions. On topic then.

Edited January 10, 2012 by JUDAS

[Pakboong]

The way thing story reads is since 2009 there have been 4 Americans convicted of spying against the nation of Iran. 3 have been released and one has been sentenced to death.

During that same period, several nuclear scientists have been murdered. Explosions have ripped nuclear facilities, and a slew of other activity that clearly points to espionage. Sounds to me like good reason to find some spies and create a deterence but we don't have much to work with here. Only 4 caught and 3 were let go.

The dumest person knows that both the US and Israel have infested the country with spies and a few are going to get caught. That is pretty much how the game is played. A lot of people go to great lengths to visit their grandmothers. I would have liked to hear a better cover story, perhaps that was legit. Usually the spies are given a business cover rather than a domestic one.

[Ulysses G.]

Iran is well known for setting up innocent people to make a political point. There is no evidence that this poor guy is not one of them.

[Wallaby]

Iran is well known for setting up innocent people to make a political point. There is no evidence that this poor guy is not one of them.

And no evidence that he is.

He confessed so that is evidence in itself. He is a convicted spy so not sure why you are referring him to 'poor guy'.

You certainly don't refer to Assange as a 'poor guy' and he hasn't even been charged.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Wallaby

[Ulysses G.]

The hikers were convicted too and there is little doubt that they were innocent. Iran's kangaroo courts and coerced confessions fool no one.

[Wallaby]

The hikers were convicted too and there is little doubt that they were innocent. Iran's kangaroo courts and coerced confessions fool no one.

At least they faced court. The US is holding many prisoners for years and the President says it's ok to torture them even though they haven't even been charged. But there's no fooling you.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Wallaby

[Scott]

Meanwhile.....back to the topic of THIS thread.

Further baiting is going to result in some posting suspensions.

[janverbeem]

Who would actually believe anything that Iran coerced out of this poor guy?

Hard to believe anything "Iran coerced out of this guy". Just playing devil's advocate but, the same could be said for anything coerced out of someone during water boarding.......

Yeah, Judas, but here, in this thread, the topic is about an American prisoner in IRAN.

Indeed, the denying or justifying of the foltering and waterboard practices on Iranians by the US is for another thread

Edited January 11, 2012 by janverbeem

[Ulysses G.]

Iran is well known for setting up innocent people to make a political point. There is no evidence that this poor guy is not one of them.

The evidence suggests otherwise.

The evidence proves that the three hikers were convicted of spying. Whether they were tortured, or not is not the point. They were set up to make a political point.

[Wallaby]

Iran is well known for setting up innocent people to make a political point. There is no evidence that this poor guy is not one of them.

The evidence suggests otherwise.

The evidence proves that the three hikers were convicted of spying. Whether they were tortured, or not is not the point. They were set up to make a political point.

What 'evidence' do you refer to? Only 2 were convicted of spying.

The girl left Iran and didn't return for her trial on 'illegal entry'. She wasn't convicted of anything. As per your noted comments on another thread about a person refusing to return to a country to face justice I'll wait for your similar derogatory comments about the girl's refusal to return for trial.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Wallaby

[Pakboong]

According to the Associated Press, records show Hekmati served in the Marines from 2001 to 2005, trained in Arabic at the Army’s language school in Monterey, California, was deployed to Iraq from April to November 2004, where he reportedly worked in intelligence, and later, in 2010, worked for BAE Systems Inc, US subsidiary of BAE Systems PLC, a UK-based military contractor that on its website describes itself as a “global defense and security company.” The BAE site says the company delivers a “full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and support services.”

BAE is heavily involved in the military intelligence field.

http://www.thiscantbehappening.net/node/1003

[Pakboong]

Iran is well known for setting up innocent people to make a political point. There is no evidence that this poor guy is not one of them.

The evidence suggests otherwise.

The evidence proves that the three hikers were convicted of spying. Whether they were tortured, or not is not the point. They were set up to make a political point.

The 2 men were also convicted of entering the country illegally which called for a 3 year sentence.