News

Among the elements the newspaper highlights is a report that the US hikers arrested by Iran in July 2009 may have been taken on the Iraq side of the border.

The way I read the relevant document, it seems the report was filed by soldiers who arrived late to the scene and relied on hearsay.

Many will take it as definitive proof of a kidnap; to me, it's
impossible to conclude with any real confidence what really happened.

But the really interesting comment comes at the end of the document, under the heading "S2 assessment":

The lack of co-ordination on the part
of these hikers, particularly after being forewarned, indicates an
intent to agitate and create publicity regarding international policies
on Iran.

It would appear that the military not only knew of the hikers'
presence in the region, but war... >>>