Iran Hikers Just Wanted to Have Fun

What kind of spies would be dancing, joking and performing impromptu raps on video before illegally crossing into Iran?

That's the question the families of three American UC Berkeley grads held in Iran are posing as they release video that they say proves the trio had no bad intentions when they strayed across the border.

Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal have been detained since July 31. They apparently crossed into Iran while hiking in a scenic part of Northern Iraq.

One of the videos shows Fattal performing an impromptu rap song -- “Yo, it's hot/It's 'cos I'm in Iraq.'' -- against a backdrop of the city of Irbil in Iraq. A second video shows Fattal, Bauer and Shourd dancing in an unfinished cinder block building.

The families say the video shows they were on vacation and did not mean any harm.

“These kids were on vacation." Nora Shourd, Shourd's mother said. "They were just traveling; they were having a good time."

The families of three Americans being held in Iran released the video footage Tuesday and say proves the three were simply on vacation and had no underhand intentions when they strayed across the border.

The videos, made two days before the hikers were detained, were shot by Shon Meckfessel,a fourth American on the trip who did not go hiking with the others because he was feeling ill. Meckfessel was an original member of the Sacramento-based band Cake.

The hikers' families have not heard from them since they were taken into custody. Three Swiss diplomats were allowed to visit the hikers last month.

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