Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at 13:55 JST
WASHINGTON — The United States demanded Tuesday that Japan hand
over Bobby Fischer despite Iceland's move to accept the chess
legend currently detained by Japanese immigration authorities
since last July.
"That's what we've asked for," Adam Ereli, deputy spokesman for
the U.S. State Department, told reporters, when asked if the
United States wants Japan to hand him over to the United States.
Ereli expressed "disappointment" about the Icelandic
parliament's decision Monday to grant citizenship to Fischer,
62.
"It's an arrangement that we're disappointed by. Mr Fischer is a
fugitive from justice. There is a federal warrant for his
arrest. He's being detained in Japan, awaiting deportation and
that's the step that we're looking forward to," he said.
Following Iceland's decision, the Japanese Justice Ministry
began considering whether to allow Fischer to leave for Iceland,
ministry officials said Tuesday.
Fischer has been detained at an immigration detention facility
in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.
On Monday, the Icelandic legislature enacted a law immediately
giving Icelandic citizenship to Fischer. The legislation will
come into force after President Olafur Grimsson signs it.
Fischer had a landmark match in Iceland with his old rival Boris
Spassky of the Soviet Union in 1972 and his supporters say he is
regarded as a hero in Iceland for helping to give it a greater
international profile for hosting the match.
Under Japan's immigration law, the former world chess champion
is to be deported to his country of national origin, which is
the United States, or a country where he has citizenship.
The Japanese Justice Ministry is expected to decide on whether
to allow Fischer to leave Japan once it receives formal notice
from Reykjavik on his citizenship.
Fischer was detained for allegedly carrying an invalid U.S.
passport while trying to leave the country. He has argued his
passport was illegally revoked and has been fighting deportation
to the United States, where he is wanted for violating economic
sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly
publicized chess match there in 1992 when he won $3 million in
prize money.
His supporters say he is being persecuted for his past
controversial statements including anti-Semitic remarks and
comments hailing the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
(Kyodo News) |
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