Bobby Fischer Arrested and Detained in Japan

[Phil C]

They may extradite him to the USA. He got a warrant for playing chess in Yugoslavia in 1992 in violation of UN sanctions. He was a former world chess champion and the only American to have ever won the world chess championship. If they send him to USA it will be interested in what they do to him in comparison with what they do to the Enron executives that stole millions and ruined many people's lives financially plus Martha Stewart. We will see.

[GUNHO]

Hey Phil,
Did you see the movie,Searching For Bobby Fisher.It was great.

[District303aPastPlayer]

this is just weird...

[Gobbla2001]

If I were the judge, after sentencing or whatever it is, I'd say, "Bobby, Check... Mate..."

[Phil C]

It was a great movie Gun! But it is obvious that Ben Kingsley did not act at all like the real Bruce Pandolphini (spelling?) who made a cameo appearance in it. Lawrence was great in the movie.

[SINTON81]

If it's true that he said what the reports say he said about the U.S.A. and the Jewish people, then I do not feel sorry for him at all. Throw the book at him. Here is the news story.


Top Stories - AP


Japan Detains Ex-Chess Champ Bobby Fischer

Fri Jul 16, 7:30 AM ET Add Top Stories - AP to My Yahoo!


By NATALIE OBIKO PEARSON, Associated Press Writer

TOKYO - Former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, wanted since 1992 for playing a tournament in Yugoslavia despite U.N. sanctions, has been detained in Japan, clearing the way for his extradition to the United States.


AP Photo


Related Links
• Bobby Fischer Web Sites



Fischer was stopped at Tokyo's Narita International Airport on Tuesday as he tried to go to the Philippines, an airport official said on condition of anonymity.


Miyoko Watai, a Japan Chess Association official who described herself as a longtime friend of Fischer's, said the eccentric chess prodigy discovered when he was detained that the United States had revoked his passport.


Watai, who said she had spoken with Fischer since his detention, added that he was told he would be extradited but that he would appeal.


The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said it knew Fischer had been detained but refused further comment, citing privacy concerns.


Fischer became a Cold War hero in 1972 when he defeated Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union to become the first American world chess champion. But the chess prodigy, long know for his eccentric ways, stunned the chess world by refusing to play again, and had slipped mysteriously in and out of public view in the years since.


He forfeited the title in 1975, and resurfaced for a dramatic rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992, beating him 10-5 to win $3.35 million.


U.S. authorities accused him of violating U.N. sanctions imposed against Yugoslavia for provoking warfare in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina.


Fischer, indicted by a grand jury in 1992, managed to elude authorities and left a tantalizing trail that included radio broadcasts from the Philippines and sightings in Japan.


The Athens-based World Chess Federation had no comment about Fischer's arrest.


"The international federation has had no connection with Mr. Fischer since 1975, so officially we are not in a position to say something about this," said Giorgos Mastrokoukos, the federation's public relations director.


In radio interviews, Fischer praised the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying America should be "wiped out," and described Jews as "thieving, lying bastards." His mother was Jewish.


Fischer, now 61 years old, became grandmaster at age 15.


He announced that he had abandoned chess in 1996 and launched a new version, "Fischerandom," a computerized shuffler that randomly distributes chess pieces on the back row of the chess board at the start of each game.


Fischer claimed it would bring the fun back into the game and rid it of cheats.