TOBIN MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. -- With dozens of townspeople surrounding him, John
Tobin said he couldn't find the words to express how grateful he was
for their love and prayers when he was jailed in Russia on drug charges.

During the ceremony Monday outside Town Hall, Tobin snipped a yellow
ribbon that had been a symbol of the town's support for him.

"I thought about you all while I was over there," Tobin told the
crowd. "I'm really proud of this town. I love this town very much."

The 24-year-old Fulbright scholar was conducting political science
research in Russia when he was arrested in January. He said he was
framed by Russian authorities because he refused to spy for them.

"I think that they saw fear in my eyes and expected me to do anything
I could do to stay out of prison, but I wasn't willing to walk that
road for them," he said in an interview with New York's WNBC that
aired on Tuesday's "Today" show. "They asked me to spy for them, in a
word, and I said no."

Tobin was paroled Aug. 3 after serving half of a one-year sentence on
marijuana charges and returned to the United States on Wednesday. He
spent the last few days with family members in upstate New York.

Tobin said he was exposed to some harsh conditions while being
detained before he was transferred to prison.

"There was a few days of sitting in an empty cell with nothing,
nothing but, you know, the slop that they feed you through the door,"
he said in the WNBC interview. "It was cold, dark and smelly."

But in prison, Tobin said, "my living conditions were
spectacular."

Few in the crowd Monday said they actually knew Tobin, but many said
he had become the town's adopted son.

"My family has been watching this story pretty intensely and we
certainly feel the connection," Deb Bush said. A red, white and blue
sign welcoming Tobin home hung from the window of her Main Street store.

Tobin said he wants to spend time with his family and is considering
writing a book about his ordeal.

"It was a fascinating experience," he said.