Chess champ Bobby Fischer detained in Japan
For years, Bobby Fischer has been viewed as a reclusive crackpot by those who have so much as bothered to pay attention. He's accused the US government of being out to get him, though for reasons that made sense to no one but himself.
It turns out that Fischer may have been closer to the truth than anyone realized.
After decades of evading the public eye and U.S. justice officials, former world champion Bobby Fischer -- possibly the best and certainly the most eccentric chess player ever -- has been taken into custody by Japanese immigration after allegedly trying to leave the country with an invalid passport.
Fischer, 61, was detained at Narita Airport outside Tokyo while trying to board a Japan Airlines flight for the Philippines on Tuesday, according to friends and airport officials. The U.S. Embassy confirmed Fischer was detained.
It was not immediately clear if Fischer would be extradited to the United States, where he is wanted for playing a 1992 chess match in the former Yugoslavia in violation of international sanctions. Japan and the United States have an extradition treaty.
But Fischer's detention -- and a possible handover to U.S. authorities -- gives Japan a chance to show it is cooperating with the United States just days before Japanese officials plan to bring an accused U.S. Army deserter, Charles Robert Jenkins, to Tokyo for urgent medical treatment.
Jenkins, whose Japanese wife was kidnapped by North Korea in 1978 and returned home in 2002, is wanted by Washington on desertion charges for allegedly defecting to North Korea in 1965. Jenkins is suffering from problems following abdominal surgery in North Korea.
In the final analysis, then, Fischer is being used as a political pawn by the Japanese government. What's even sadder is that the US government is contemplating playing a part in the sorry escapade. If they wanted him that badly for playing chess in Yugoslavia, there have been numerous opportunities to make him an example. That the US government is waiting until they can use him as political game piece is inexcusable.
Bobby Fischer is a threat to no one except perhaps himself. What can the US government possibly gain by using him as a pawn- except perhaps a ton of bad PR? Man, this is some DUMB@$$ AWARD-quality stuff....
