Burmese authorities asserted that John Yettaw's visits were instigated by opposition groups as part of efforts to pressure and embarrass the Burmese government.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,962 |
47 Facts About John Yettaw
2.
John Yettaw then travelled to Mae Sot, Thailand, where he took up residence in a hotel, bought a motorcycle and developed a friendship with a Thai resident.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,963 |
3.
John Yettaw developed a deep interest in Aung San Suu Kyi and told people that he had to bring international attention to her situation.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,964 |
4.
John Yettaw entered the property via a culvert on University Avenue Road and Inya Myaing Road.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,965 |
5.
John Yettaw then made his way over a small fence behind the house, which was a restricted zone and was without communication devices.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,966 |
6.
John Yettaw's trek was successful despite her residence being surrounded by over a dozen security guards 24 hours a day, and despite the presence of police boats that frequently patrolled local waters.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,967 |
7.
John Yettaw was prevented by the house staff from communicating with Aung San Suu Kyi, but he stayed there for a period of longer than two days.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,968 |
8.
John Yettaw reported Yettaw's visit to her doctor who alerted authorities.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,969 |
10.
John Yettaw visited the Mae Tao Clinic nearly a dozen times, where he communicated with Bo Kyi of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,971 |
11.
In mid-April 2009, John Yettaw travelled from Missouri to California to see an ex-wife.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,972 |
12.
John Yettaw informed her that he needed to go to Asia to obtain details on a paper he was writing about forgiveness.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,973 |
13.
John Yettaw told his family that he was working on a book and searching for US soldiers missing in action from the Vietnam War.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,974 |
14.
Soon thereafter, John Yettaw visited exiled Burmese groups in Thailand and told them about a faith-based book he was writing on heroism.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,975 |
15.
John Yettaw spent a week in Bangkok waiting for his Burma visa to clear.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,976 |
17.
John Yettaw informed them that he was tired, hungry and suffered from diabetes.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,978 |
18.
John Yettaw asked Aung San Suu Kyi if he could stay at the house for a few days.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,979 |
19.
John Yettaw refused, and her caretakers threatened to turn him in to the authorities, but Aung San Suu Kyi agreed to let him stay on the ground floor after he began to complain about leg cramps.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,980 |
20.
John Yettaw refused to eat food, hoping to induce another vision.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,981 |
21.
John Yettaw was charged under the country's Law Safeguarding the State from the Dangers of Subversive Elements, which carried a three-to-five-year jail term.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,982 |
22.
The Burmese government alleges that John Yettaw's visit involved a conspiracy of "internal and external anti-government elements" meant "to intensify international pressure" to release her.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,983 |
23.
John Yettaw provided details of items Yettaw left at her home, including three pair of sunglasses and two abaya-like dresses.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,984 |
24.
John Yettaw's voice-over explained that he was at Suu Kyi's home, that he asked her if he could film her, but she declined.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,985 |
25.
John Yettaw's caretakers testified for 30 minutes each, and Yettaw testified for nearly three hours.
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26.
John Yettaw stated repeatedly that he was sent on this journey by God to protect Aung San Suu Kyi from a terrorist group trying to assassinate her.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,987 |
27.
John Yettaw stated that he was seen by policemen as he swam across the lake, and that they did not fire guns at him, but threw rocks instead.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,988 |
28.
John Yettaw stated that he had tried to enter Suu Kyi's previously, that police apprehended him, questioned him briefly and then let him go.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,989 |
29.
John Yettaw had reported Yettaw's unwelcomed 2008 visit to authorities, but no action was ever taken.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,990 |
30.
John Yettaw stated that Yettaw entered Aung San Suu Kyi's restricted residence twice and each time security guards allowed it, and therefore they had violated the law.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,991 |
31.
John Yettaw made the argument that the charges against her fall under parts of the law that were based on the now abolished 1974 constitution, and therefore are invalid.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,992 |
32.
John Yettaw stated that, on his own accord, he entered the property on the morning of 4 May, that he left the property about midnight on 5 May Under cross-examination, John Yettaw stated that in November 2008 and May 2009 he applied for Visas to visit Yangon, during which time he signed an agreement that he would respect Burma's laws and visa rules.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,993 |
33.
John Yettaw acknowledged that he entered the property secretly and without permission, that he knew the property was guarded.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,994 |
34.
John Yettaw stated that he did not mean to break any immigration laws.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,995 |
35.
John Yettaw explained how he entered the lake through a small drain on University Avenue Road and Than Lwin Street.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,996 |
36.
On 11 June 2009, Suu Kyi wrote a letter to the court explaining that after asking John Yettaw to leave, she allowed him to stay overnight in order that he might avoid arrest and on the excuse of his health condition.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,997 |
37.
John Yettaw was not able to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, but did request that Burma free its political prisoners.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,998 |
38.
John Yettaw was condemned to a total of seven years: three for violating Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest, three hard labour for breaking immigration laws, and one hard labour for trespassing.
| FactSnippet No. 2,096,999 |
39.
John Yettaw was isolated in intensive care in a heavily guarded separate room and treated by neurological specialists.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,000 |
40.
Previous to this incident, John Yettaw had been held in the prison's hospital where he received regular treatment for his seizures and diabetic and heart conditions.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,001 |
41.
John Yettaw gave reporters an "I love you" sign, but did not respond to any questions.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,002 |
42.
John Yettaw was immediately placed in an undisclosed Bangkok hospital.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,003 |
43.
John Yettaw lived with relatives in California for a time until he was able to join the United States Army.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,004 |
44.
John Yettaw served for just over a year before being discharged, spending a majority of that time in Germany according to his military records.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,005 |
45.
John Yettaw's family has said that Yettaw told them that he has served stints in the US military in several countries of Southeast Asia.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,006 |
46.
John Yettaw was diagnosed around 1999 with post-traumatic stress disorder related to his military service.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,007 |
47.
At age 20, John Yettaw married for the first time in southern California, later converting to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
| FactSnippet No. 2,097,008 |