Mig 
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Ice Fisching IX

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Unlike most other sources rumoring of Fischer's imminent release, the Washington Post seems to have better info and flatly states the agreement has been reached. ChessBase reports even more, saying he will be released at midnight tonight. They even mention a possible press conference. I wonder if his supporters are ready to sit on either side of him and cough loudly every time he shouts the word "Jew."

TOKYO, March 23 -- After a series of strategic moves worthy of one of his greatest matches, fugitive chess legend Bobby Fischer reached an agreement with Japanese authorities to avoid deportation to the United States on Wednesday. He will instead be released after nine months in prison here and flown to freedom in Iceland as early as Thursday morning, according to sources familiar with the case.

But...

U.S. officials, however, are already preparing for a legal rematch. They expressed "disappointment" with the decisions by both Iceland and Japan, but note that Washington and Reykjavik have shared an extradition treaty since 1906. U.S officials have suggested that they may file new tax evasion charges against Fischer -- who has publicly stated that he has not paid U.S. taxes since going into self-imposed exile 12 years ago, including on the $3 million he won during his allegedly illegal rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia.

Such charges, U.S. officials say, may fall under extraditable crimes in Iceland.

[Icelandic citizens cannot be extradited, according to this page. So it would be up to the Icelanders to play ball. I still say that if the US had really wanted him badly they would have gotten him from Japan long ago.]

Mainichi has other details, as usual. Apparently no new charges or requests have been made by the US (e.g. taxes), although they still insist on the old ones. Japan could still insist Fischer is American and give him to the US, where his new alternate citizenship would be largely ignored, at least in court. (Renouncing your citizenship or embracing another is not a get out of jail free card. I'm not sure how much they could apply here, but long ago many laws were put in place in the US to deal with these issues regarding the Italian mafia.)

5 Comments

According to the Extradition of Criminals and Other Assistance in Criminal Proceedings Act No. 13 of 17th April 1984, "Icelandic citizens may not be extradited" (Article 2).
http://eng.domsmalaraduneyti.is/laws-and-regulations/nr/104

So, Fischer would have to be stripped of his Icelandic citizenship before he could be extradited to the US.

About the prize money from the infamous 1992 match. Does anyone know if Fischer actually received it or not. I have a vague recollection that Around the time of the match the sponsor, a Yugoslav businessman, declared bankruptcy (or similar).

Unless the IRS gets involved the only info we have is from Fischer himself. He said in one of his early radio interviews that he had received the money.

Apparently, Bosnitch plans a 2 hour press conference with Fischer at the airport. (!)
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2279

Great idea... Prepare for some new horrible Fischer quotes. Looks that now Bosnitch wants his 15 minutes (or rather 2 hours) of fame. I hope that there are more responsible people around Fischer who can cut the event short and get Fischer save out of Japan.

He received the money, then put it in a bank that became insolvent soon after, and "poof", the money was gone.

Can we nuke Iceland?

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    This page contains a single entry by Mig published on March 23, 2005 1:44 PM.

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