(RightIsRight.co) – When men and women sign up to serve their country, they’re usually willing to go to extremes to protect the freedoms we have in the US. But, that isn’t always the case. This week, reports show that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Justice Department are investigating a US Marine who served as an interpreter and infantryman in Iraq for potential espionage charges.
In August of 2011, Amir Hekmati traveled to Iran to allegedly visit his ailing grandmother, but he was arrested by the corrupt nation on espionage charges. The following year, the Marine was sentenced to death by an Iranian court for spying, but his sentence was later decreased to 10 years in prison. He was released along with three other Americans around the time the Iran Nuclear deal was signed in 2016.
However, Hekmati is now facing accusations of treason after he tried to claim $20 million in compensation from the US government for his imprisonment. A decade-old FBI investigation against him claims that his 2011 visit to Iran was actually to sell classified secrets to the Middle Eastern country, rather than spend time with his family, and thus he cannot receive money for his time in an Iranian jail.
The Associated Press’ Politics division shares more:
Hundreds of pages of newly filed U.S. government documents reveal an FBI investigation into whether Amir Hekmati, a U.S. citizen previously jailed in Iran, visited the country to sell classified information. He vigorously disputes the allegations. https://t.co/JOOn8j9rDA
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) March 16, 2021
Currently, it appears neither side has enough convincing evidence for or against Hekmati’s alleged treason. But, the hard work that the Justice Department and FBI do will hopefully uncover the truth about his intentions over the past decade and help keep our nation secure for years to come.
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