Polanski Tracked Like Tiger
A public records request carried out by the Associated Press has revealed that the pounce on Polanski was carefully prepared by American prosecutors.
The Polish director had been in Austria prior to his ill-fated journey to Zurich to collect a lifetime achievement award at a Swiss film festival.
U.S. officials were on the verge of filing a warrant for Polanski's arrest in Austria, but refrained at the last minute, as they were unsure of how "friendly" the Austrians would be to the idea. In the event, the Swiss proved willing to cooperate, much to the embarrassment of the festival organisers.
The case has sparked much debate in the world press, with some pointing out that Polanski had not learnt his lesson, beginning an affair with a fifteen year old - Nastassja Kinski - shortly after absconding to France. Others have argued that Polanski is no longer a threat to society, and that both cases are decidedly more complex than some of the press have painted them to be.