Posted on 03/21/2005 8:46:48 PM PST by SmithL
TOKYO, Japan -- Supporters of chess star Bobby Fischer prepared Tuesday for his release from Japanese custody after Iceland granted him citizenship overnight, boosting his chances of avoiding deportation to the United States.
Miyoko Watai, Fischer's Japanese fiancee, was en route to the detention center outside Tokyo where he has been held to have his release papers signed, while his lawyer, Masako Suzuki, contacted the Justice Ministry to request his immediate release, said John Bosnitch, chairman of the Committee to Free Bobby Fischer in Japan.
Japanese ministry and detention center officials declined to comment early Tuesday, and it was not clear whether Fischer would be released immediately. Bosnitch said he was optimistic Fischer could be freed within the day.
US authorities have been seeking Fischer, 62, on a warrant for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a chess match there in 1992.
Taken into custody by Japanese immigration officials in July for allegedly trying to leave the country on a revoked U.S. passport, Fischer has been battling a deportation order to the United States in the Japanese courts.
In a bid to resolve the standoff over his status, Iceland recently stepped in to grant Fischer residency and a special foreigner's passport. There is widespread support for the chess player in Iceland, where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972.
It is the height of hypocrisy for the U.S. government to put the screws on someone for violating some stupid "trade sanctions" like this, while at the same time maintaining Most Favored Nation trading status with Red China.
Oh, send him to Iceland, where he must grow old and grey and die because nobody else will have him. A sentence to permanent exile from the United States should be sufficient.
"Yeah, that whole rule of law thing just is something everyone should ignore. Hey!"
When politicians create laws that are unconstitutional, and violate human rights, and are against the interests of freedom, then every human has a duty to ignore them, and protest them.
"Oh, send him to Iceland, where he must grow old and grey and die because nobody else will have him. A sentence to permanent exile from the United States should be sufficient."
Lots of hot chicks in Iceland. I can think of worse places to live.
If Bobby Fischer violated those "economic sanctions" with Yugoslavia and then came back to the U.S. with an undocumented Mexican alien under each arm, he'd have a line of government officials waiting here to give him a Lewinsky for his troubles.
He'll have to write another book or two. I'd like to see a critique of Kasparov (My Great Posterior) or Karpov (I Coulda' Won)...
Or a tournament, sponsored by a chess lover with megabucks, featuring all living World Champions (King of Kings).
But, let's be honest: Fischer's borderline, over-the-hill in a game dominated by youth and I think he's afraid to play, even if there is a garanteed prize he might use to payoff the US Treasury department.
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