Deposed Peru chief talks of a comeback

TOKYO -- Defiant in the face of an extradition request, former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori dismissed murder charges against him back home as baseless Thursday and declared his intention to re- enter Peruvian politics.

Just hours after Peruvian authorities formally petitioned Japan to deport him, a relaxed and smiling Fujimori told The Associated Press he is "completely innocent."

The former leader said he would return to Peru someday -- not to stand trial but to head a new political party that he launched this week through supporters in his South American homeland.

"I wonder why we are having this extradition process," the deposed leader said in an exclusive interview at AP's offices. "Maybe the Peruvian government and Peruvian politicians wouldn't like that Alberto Fujimori may come back by his own will to lead a political organization."

During his 10-year presidency, Fujimori's tough, authoritarian rule was credited with shoring up Peru's broken economy, crushing a leftist rebel movement and attracting foreign investment. But he is accused of doing this through corruption and death squads.

He fled to his parents' homeland in November 2000 as his government collapsed in a corruption scandal and was quickly granted Japanese citizenship.

Peru's ambassador to Japan, Luis J. Macchiavello, submitted a three-volume, 700-page request to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday asking that Fujimori be extradited.

"Mr. Fujimori is using his Japanese nationality with the only purpose of evading justice in his own country," Macchiavello said. "He must be investigated and tried."

As a Japanese citizen, Fujimori, 65, is shielded from extradition. The government says it does not deport citizens, even criminals, to countries such as Peru with which Japan does not share an extradition treaty. Legal experts say Japan has no obligation to reply to Peru's petition.

There was no indication the government would be swayed. The Peruvian government wants Fujimori to face numerous charges, including murder, embezzlement and treason.

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