HOMECOMING FOR HIKERS

• Two Americans men jailed in Ran for more than two years for spying arrived in New York on Sunday, saying they were innocent and had been held hostage simply because of their natinality. Josh Fattal and Shane Nauger arrested with their friend Sarah Shourd while hiking along the Iraq borders in July 2009, were freed Wednesday. Fattal and Bauer were sentenced to eight years in prison last month after trial held behind closed doors. Washington denied the group were spies and president Obama said Wednesday they never should have been detained. With no diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran since thr 1979 Islamic Revolution when 52 Americans were held hostage in Iran for 444 days until January 1981 several countries worked to mediate the release of the hikers.

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                                                                                                 September 28 2011