American Christian held in North Korea return to America.Mother thankful for releash.

Carter Secures Release of U.S. Christian from N. Korea

Former President Jimmy Carter has helped free a U.S. Christian who was detained for the past seven months in North Korea.The two are expected to return to Boston, Mass., Friday afternoon.

According to The Carter Center, Aijalon Mahli Gomes was granted amnesty by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il after having been sentenced to eight years of hard labor for entering the reclusive country illegally.

North Korea to Release Christian Activist to Ex USA President Jimmy Carter

Ex President USA Jimmy Carter (L) and (R) Aijalon Mahli Gomes

The North Korean government says they will free a Christian activist they sent to prison in April—as long as former President Jimmy Carter is the one who comes to get him.

CNN reported that Carter is gearing up for a trip to North Korea to free Christian activist and American citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes. North Korean officials say they will release Gomes to Carter.

Jimmy Carter in N. Korea in Bid to Free U.S. Christian

Former President Jimmy Carter was greeted with warmth by North Korean officials Thursday at an airport in the capital city of Pyongyang.

Carter is visiting the communist regime in a private humanitarian effort to win the release of imprisoned American Christian Aijalon Mahli Gomes

The former president is expected return home with Gomes as early as Thursday. North Korea had sentenced Gomes to eight years of hard labor for illegally entering the country.

Asia analyst Gordon Chang says North Korea sees this as a major diplomatic victory.

"The North Koreans really want official recognition," he explained. It's a very difficult time for Kim Jong Il. He's old. He's in very bad health. His succession plan which is to pass power to his 27year-old son is not meeting with universal expectance. Nothing is going right for Kim Jong il. Having someone with Carter's statute come to Pyongyang really give the regime a big lift."

Surprisingly, the dictator is apparently not in North Korea for Carter's visit. South Korean news agencies have reported Jong's in northeastern China, where he visited a middle school.

They have speculated that he may be trying to shore up China's support for one of his sons as a successor to his regime.