Thailand to Extradite Russia Arms Dealer Bout to U.S…
- Image by Getty Images via @daylife
By Suttinee Yuvejwattana
Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) — Thailand will extradite accused Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to the U.S. to face terrorism charges, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said today.
“He may be gone already,” Abhisit told reporters in Bangkok. “He will be extradited whenever the U.S. is ready.” Bout will be transferred from prison to Bangkok’s Don Muang airport today, the Bangkok Post reported, citing an unidentified police official.
The U.S. says Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, ran an air cargo network that shipped weapons to conflict zones from Afghanistan to Rwanda. Bout has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, saying he was framed by U.S. undercover agents who posed as Colombian rebels during his arrest in Bangkok two years ago.
Bout’s case has fueled a diplomatic dispute between the U.S. and Russia, with each country pressuring Thailand to follow its version of events. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called an Aug. 20 ruling to extradite Bout “political” and summoned Thailand’s ambassador.
Bout is charged in the U.S. with conspiracy to kill American citizens, officers or employees, conspiracy to acquire an anti-aircraft missile and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist group. If convicted, he may face life in prison.
Bout’s lawyer, Lak Nittiwattanawichan, didn’t answer calls to his mobile phone.
Extradition Delayed
The extradition was delayed when a Thai court ruled last month that a second set of charges against Bout must be heard. The additional charges, which included money laundering and electronic fraud, were dismissed on Oct. 5, clearing the way for his extradition.
The U.S. Treasury imposed financial sanctions on Bout in 2004 and 2005. He controlled as many as 50 aircraft, according to Amnesty International, and specialized in delivering weapons around the world.
The U.S. was Thailand’s biggest trading partner last year, with $16.7 billion in commerce, about 40 times more than the Southeast Asian country’s trade with Russia.
–Editors: Tony Jordan, John Brinsley
http://projectworldawareness.com/2010/11/thailand-to-extradite-russia-arms-de...
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