Japan Issues Order to Deport Ex-Chess Champ Fischer

[dArKeR]

Japan on Tuesday ordered the deportation of former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, wanted at home in the United States for breaking sanctions, rejecting his demand for protection as a political refugee.

His lawyers responded by appealing against the decision, which they described as "very regrettable."


The grandmaster, arguably the greatest chess player the world has seen, has been in detention in Japan since July 13 when he was stopped at Tokyo's Narita airport for traveling on a passport that U.S. officials say is invalid.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=2&u=/nm/20040824/ts_nm/japan_fischer_dc

A mini Cuba? Too bad the law didn't work so well for Bush, Harken or Bush, AWOL or Bush, Lay ENRON...

[edbermac]

1. Fischer is a crackpot, but I'm having fun with his website...

If you go to www.freebobby.org you will see that they have a petition you can sign with around 6,000 names. It states that they don't post the names immediately to prevent fake names or practical jokes. Well they're not doing a very good job of it as I have posted the following over the past few days:

Atticus Finch - USA
Basil Fawlty - England
Charles Foster Kane - USA
Dr Beverly Crusher - USA
Dr Leonard McCoy - USA
Eleanor Rigby - England
Heywood Jablome - Uruguay
Holden Caulfield - USA
Jean-Luc Picard - France
Vito Corleone - Italy

So log on and have some fun!

:silly:

[CaptainClark23]

3. To what end?

Is there a purpose or strategy behind your falsifications?

I'm trying to figure out if you want Fischer extradited to the US for playing unsanctioned chess, or if you just have alot of time on your hands.

[On the Road]

7. No, Seriously, It Would be Very Bad for Him to be Repatriated

It doesn't matter if you agree with his politics. It's a question of basic rights.

The charges against Fischer are bullshit. The goal, I beleive, is to get another "anti-American traitor" in the news to rev up jingoistic feelings and get Bush reelected.

And phony signatures just hurt the effort. I noticed a few others including Paul Morphy (one of the first modern chess champions).

[LisaL]

2. Loony, loony, loony.

How pathetic and loony it is, to go after the guy because of where he played a game of chess?

[Radius]

4. The guy is nuts, feel sorry for him

But someone will go after you if do business with countries listed on the US/UN embargo list. He knew it was illegal and did it anyway. Pretty stupid. If you cheat the IRS you can't really complain if you get caught.

Cheered the deaths of 3000 New Yorkers. So me feeling sorry for him only goes so far.

http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F12%2F02%2Fwfisc02.xml

Wants to see us wiped out..
http://www.avlerchess.com/chess-computer/Fischer_on_911_104834.html

hope enjoys it hard in dry in federal prison..

[krkaufman]

5. Unless....

But someone will go after you if do business with countries listed on the US/UN embargo list. He knew it was illegal and did it anyway. Pretty stupid. If you cheat the IRS you can't really complain if you get caught.

You neglected to mention the key qualifier that the target must be an individual without political influence. Cheney doesn't seem to be in any trouble for Halliburton's dealings with Iran, Iraq, etc.

[Radius]

8. Simply put

Two wrongs do not make a right. He broke the law, knew he did it, flaunted he did it, and then complains when he gets caught.

Everyone has the ability to make choices, you also have to face consequences.

The law SHOULD be blind to politics.

[LisaL]

9. Some laws are too stupid

They should be broken.
I don't care what this guy is doing personally, but to be arrested for playing a chess game?
How loony is that?
Why don't they extradite a child rapist instead of a guy who played a chess game?

[Radius]

10. 3.2 million reasons

He took 3.2 million dollars for doing it. That made it illegal. The fact that he is an anti-semite and rejoiced at the death of thousands of Americans is irrelevant.

He will probably plead insanity, he is as nutty as a fruitcake. Posterboy for Lithium.

I do agree some laws are very stupid, drug laws come to mind. However, if you drive aback from BC with 2 pounds of pot and get caught, you can't really blame the law. I mean you knew about it and knew it was illeagal, stupid, but you are still going to jail if you are poor and getting lots of probation if you get a really good lawyer.(longest run on ever posted?)

[allemand]

12. I think that his insanity will prevent him from pleading insanity

And I have absolutely no confidence in the US justice system regarding the treatment of mentally ill people.

[amazona]

20. i don't think he can plead insanity

He does have a severe mental illness but he knew he was breaking the law when he broke it. I'm not seeing where he meets the criteria for an insanity defense.

He's clearly guilty, and I feel he should be fined, but I would hate to see taxpayer funds wasted on caging him.

It is a sad story. The hateful things he comes out with make it hard to empathize with him, but I don't think he has a very clear picture of the world or of his place in it. I hope one day he can find help.

[allemand]

21. Very good. Your post shows exactly what is wrong with the insanity defense

He "knew that he was breaking the law", but he doesn't have "a very clear picture of the world or of his place in it", so he is not able to realize what breaking the really means.

I doubt that he would plead insanity, because, like many mentally ill persons, he considers himself to be completely sane. As a philosopher once said, in a world of insane people the sane would be considered insane.

[LisaL]

15. I am not saying he is a nice guy.

Far from it.
But his crime-playing a game of chess, seems ridiculous to me.
Why don't they go after a child rapist instead of going after the guy who plays chess?

[shadu]

6. The guy is a national treasure.

He should be welcomed home as a hero or set free
to live his life as he chooses.

[Xithras]

17. He's an anti semite who has publically advocated genocide HERE

[allemand]

18. Anti-Semitism is horrible and dangerous, but an anti-Semitic Jew is simply

a personal tragedy.

According to his adviser Bosnitch, Israel has offered to issue him a passport (which because of his insanity he won't accept):
“I was approached by a man with the Israeli Embassy who said he could get Bobby a passport no problem.”
http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyo/541/feature.asp

If they understand it, why can't you?

[Xithras]

19. My point...

Look, the guy certainly has mental problems and needs help, and I don't begrudge him that. I simply have a hard time considering ANYONE who has publically advocated rounding up and executing all American Jews, and then loudly cheered the deaths of 3,000 Americans on 9/11, to be anything even remotely resembling a "national treasure".

[allemand]

11. Court rejects appeal - Fischer about to be deported?

No relief for chess legend Fischer

A Japanese court has dismissed a request to halt deportation proceedings against fugitive chess legend Bobby Fischer, his lawyers say.

<...>

The Tokyo District Court rejected the request to have Japanese immigration officials halt procedures to deport him, his legal team said in a faxed statement.

Fischer's lawyers immediately filed an appeal with the Tokyo High Court, calling the decision unjust and unreasonable.

<...>

http://www.fox41.com/news/news_detail.asp?id=17458§ion=2

[allemand]

13. Lawyers say it could take another month

But, who knows, maybe the Japanese act quickly.

As Mainichi put it: "Japan's traditionally creaky bureaucracy has moved with greased lightening"...
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20040824p2a00m0dm014003c.html

Bobby Fischer's Supporters Appeal Latest Rejection of Asylum Attempt
VOA News
24 Aug 2004, 15:05 UTC

<...>

Supporters of the former chess champion have vowed to take the case all the way to Japan's Supreme Court if necessary. His lawyers say they expect the courts will take about a month to consider the new appeal.

<...>

http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=0EAB78F9-9593-46F2-A211167AC5ACD47A

[realFedUp]

14. I would think Bush would lose the chess-players votes

if charges were pressed....

[Radius]

16. Bush?

The US DOJ files thousands of Extradition requests a year for everything from child porn in the phillipines to drug dealers. I doubt the president personally signed up to catch this guy.

Law should be seperate from politics. A person guilty of a crime should stand trial regardless of who is in office. IMHO.

The guy is mentally ill and hopefully he will get treatment rather than federal jail time, but you never know..