English thug caught in Japan

A convicted football hooligan who tried to sneak into Japan for the World Cup by flying from Turkey instead of England has been intercepted and turned back.

The elaborate route taken by the unnamed man and his companion, who is also suspected of being a hooligan, showed the extent that some troublemakers are prepared to go to to beat police efforts to keep them out.

Last week the British police officer who has travelled to Tokyo to advise the Japanese police on their anti-hooligan operation had predicted that hooligans would resort to such tactics and said he remained convinced that there is bound to be some disorder.

Assistant Chief Constable Ron Hogg of Durham police is believed to have been instrumental in detecting the pair, who flew into Tokyo's Narita airport from Istanbul yesterday.

Neither of the men, who are both 34, have yet been named and their home towns have not been revealed.

Airport immigration official Buichi Ishiai said that both men would be sent home but he could not say when.

Last week 37- year- old Derby County fan Andrew Cooper became the first England fan to be sent home after his attempt to get into South Korea was similarly thwarted by officials.

English police had told Cooper, who was jailed for four months in 1999 for carrying CS gas, he would be sent home if he tried to attend the World Cup. However, he ignored the warning and flew to Seoul with German airline Lufthansa, according to the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

Despite not being on a list of thugs who have been banned from flying to the contest, South Korean airport officials spotted he had a conviction for violence and refused him entry.

Similar expulsions are likely in forthcoming weeks as flights from Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany are monitored for hooligans willing to use any means possible and risk fines or even imprisonment to find a way in through the tight security ring.

About 8,000 England supporters are expected to attend the World Cup, which starts on Friday - more than will follow any other visiting country.

More than 1,000 known and suspected hooligans have been served with court orders banning them from travelling during the tournament - more than 10 times the number of such bans in place during Euro 2000.

They include 112 Cardiff City, 98 Stoke City and 66 Leeds United fans. About 300 more potential troublemakers have been identified to the Japanese and are almost certain to be turned back if they are spotted trying to get into the country.

Japanese society has become preoccupied with the threat of hooliganism and police here have held numerous rehearsals to hone their ability to deal with riot situations.

In 1990, during the World Cup in Italy, 300 British supporters were deported and there were more than 60 arrests.

Youths in British towns took to smashing shopfronts and wrecking cars.

In 1994, the tournament was held in the United States. England had not qualified, and there were no reports of serious football violence.

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