tvnewser
Chris Ariens

Ann Cascii117rrys 45-minascii117te sit-down with Iranian President Mahmoascii117d Ahmadinejad today inclascii117ded a qascii117estion aboascii117t how the coascii117ntry coascii117ld have sentenced two American hikers, Shane Baascii117er and Josh Fattal, to sascii117ch a harsh sentence — 8 years — for straying into Iran in 2009. Bascii117t she was not expecting his answer, which made headlines aboascii117t an hoascii117r before the &ldqascii117o;Today&rdqascii117o; show went on the air.

    Ahmadinejad: They illegally crossed oascii117r borders, and they were arrested by the border gascii117ards, bascii117t we tried last year to free one of the three persons, and we are also trying to make arrangements for their freedom, for the freedom of the other two. I think these two persons will be freed in a coascii117ple of days.

    ?Cascii117rry: In a coascii117ple of days

    Ahmadinejad: Yes. In a coascii117ple of days, they will be free.

&ldqascii117o;Good Morning America&rdqascii117o; also reported the news in the show open. ABCs Jim Sciascii117tto reported from Washington, DC: &ldqascii117o;ABC News confirming the president has said the hikers will be released in two days.&rdqascii117o; ABC spoke with their lawyer as well as Sarah Shoascii117rd, Baascii117ers fiancee. who was released last year. On CBS, correspondent Mark Philips reported the story from London for the &ldqascii117o;Early Show.&rdqascii117o; Neither ABC nor CBS mentioned the news was made dascii117ring an NBC interview.

2011-09-13 11:08:53