Families want three U.S. hikers released from Iran
BOISE - The brother of a U.S. citizen taken captive in Iran says his sister, Sarah Shourd never intended to enter Iran and that she and the two other hikers were just taking a scenic hiking trip when it happened.
A website dedicated to bringing Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal is counting the days the three hikers have been detained in Iran.
"All three of them really have a lot of respect for the societies and for the cultures and for the religions of that region. They went there for that reason - to sort of immerse themselves and understand it," said Chris Rapp, brother of Sarah Shourd, in an interview with the Associated Press.
Rapp, a Boise resident, said the three planned a hiking trip to a scenic part of northern Iraq known to draw tourists but that's where their vacation took a wrong turn.
"They are sophisticated travelers - they understood how to move around the Middle East," said Rapp.
Reports from Iran say the three were arrested after not following border guards warnings but families of the detained hikers disagree.
On their website - www.freethehikers.org - they wrote: "We hope the Iranian authorities understand that if our children and friends did happen to enter Iran, there can only be one reason because they made a regrettable mistake and got lost."
In a interview last month on CNN the mothers of the three said their children never intended to enter Iran.
Shourd's mother shared an email sent just days before they went missing.
"So we are traveling, actually we are in Northern Iraq - it's totally safe, the Kurds in this area have been pro American since 1991. No single American has ever been hurt on Kurdish territory so don't worry. Tonight we are going camping. I love you," Nora Shourd read from her daughter's email.
Each family is hoping these words, their website, and support from local communities like Boise will help bring
Last week the mothers of the captive hikers sent a personal appeal to the president of Iran. They are urging him to bring their kids home when he makes a trip to New York this week to address the U.N. General Assembly.
A website dedicated to bringing Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal is counting the days the three hikers have been detained in Iran.
"All three of them really have a lot of respect for the societies and for the cultures and for the religions of that region. They went there for that reason - to sort of immerse themselves and understand it," said Chris Rapp, brother of Sarah Shourd, in an interview with the Associated Press.
Rapp, a Boise resident, said the three planned a hiking trip to a scenic part of northern Iraq known to draw tourists but that's where their vacation took a wrong turn.
"They are sophisticated travelers - they understood how to move around the Middle East," said Rapp.
Reports from Iran say the three were arrested after not following border guards warnings but families of the detained hikers disagree.
On their website - www.freethehikers.org - they wrote: "We hope the Iranian authorities understand that if our children and friends did happen to enter Iran, there can only be one reason because they made a regrettable mistake and got lost."
In a interview last month on CNN the mothers of the three said their children never intended to enter Iran.
Shourd's mother shared an email sent just days before they went missing.
"So we are traveling, actually we are in Northern Iraq - it's totally safe, the Kurds in this area have been pro American since 1991. No single American has ever been hurt on Kurdish territory so don't worry. Tonight we are going camping. I love you," Nora Shourd read from her daughter's email.
Each family is hoping these words, their website, and support from local communities like Boise will help bring
Last week the mothers of the captive hikers sent a personal appeal to the president of Iran. They are urging him to bring their kids home when he makes a trip to New York this week to address the U.N. General Assembly.
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