Russian Arms Dealer Arrested in Thailand

[A_Traveller]

^ No. The original warrant for his arrest was based on the initial DEA warrant, which was, presumably disclosed under MLAT {Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty} this subsequently morphed into a new one which, given that he had arrived in Thailand only hours before I believe had him effectively walking into the Silom Sofitel Hotel, not unpacking his bags and saying to the faux FARC representatives, let's go kill Americans!

Hm...

The Thai police did their traditional grandstanding about bringing charges under Thai law, but there was no substantive evidence that he had committed any offence here, except possibly one relating to his ID, but presumably his passport was legitimate.

Regards

PS A primary usage of MLAT is the exchange of 'admissible evidence' which can therefore lead to a warrant for non dual criminality charges {not a specified crime in both jurisdictions} which logically would have been the case here. Though not in this case, the technique used to invoke MLAT is to fold in a 'wire-fraud' charge which is a federal offence and in principal qualifies.

Edited May 21, 2008 by A_Traveller

[Briggsy]

The 84 days are up and no charges are outstanding against the Russian chappie. So will he now be freed?

Free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

[Kerryd]

Free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

Cheer Leaders for Arms Dealers !

You're not trying to suck up to Mr Bout to get a job are you Briggsy ?

[Briggsy]

Free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

Cheer Leaders for Arms Dealers !

You're not trying to suck up to Mr Bout to get a job are you Briggsy ?

Me and Vik go way back.

But seriously, was he quietly released?

[Kerryd]

Free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

Cheer Leaders for Arms Dealers !

You're not trying to suck up to Mr Bout to get a job are you Briggsy ?

Me and Vik go way back.

But seriously, was he quietly released?

Just spent the last 30 minutes trying to search for any recent news with no luck. If he was released, it's been so quiet maybe even he doesn't know about it !

[Jimjim]

I thought I read he was released and transferred to U.S. authorities.

[bangkokbilly]

I thought I read he was released and transferred to U.S. authorities.

This was poated yesterday on http://counterterrorismblog.org/

Viktor Bout is Apparently Worth Quite a Bit to the Russians

By Douglas Farah

Well, from my sources in Thailand and elsewhere it seems that Viktor Bout, weapons merchant extraordinaire, is worth quite a bit to the Russians.

Bout, in prison in Thailand awaiting extradition to the United State, may not make it back, despite having a long history of providing weapons to terrorists, criminals and some of the world's most vicious thugs, such as Charles Taylor, Laurent Kabila, the Taliban, the FARC and hosts of others.

The reason he may not make it back is that the Russians are far more afraid of his standing trial than was originally anticipated. After several diplomatic efforts to get Bout out of prison and back to Russia, the Russian government, or at least its military establishment, has decided to let some money and hardware do the talking.

My sources tell me the Russian ambassador in Thailand has met several times with the Thai prime minister, and has offered sweet heart deals on weapons systems, including fighter jets, in exchange for Bout.

In addition, the Russians are offering sweet heart gas and oil deals to sweeten the pot, which is a significant offer given the current market price of these fuels.

The question is, why would Bout be so valuable to the Russians, and what is it that they fear he could or would say in a court?

The most obvious answer is that he is deeply in bed and protected by the Russian military establishment and its intelligence services.

[Kerryd]

The most obvious answer is that he is deeply in bed and protected by the Russian military establishment and its intelligence services.

That was pretty obvious from the start. He is (allegedly) also (or has been) "in bed" with various American agencies (like the CIA), when it was convenient for them.

That is why the DEA had to set up this special, secret cell to nail Bout. They couldn't use any resources from any other agencies for fear that Bout would be tipped off (as had happened in the past supposedly). They couldn't even trust other parts of their own agency.

I'll bet Mr Bout has enough skeletons hidden in various closets to make a lot of senior people in different countries very nervous. Most of them probably wouldn't shed a tear if Vik were to quietly "disappear", permanently either. All just a part of the cost of doing business in that kind of world.

[NanLaew]

^^ I have no illusion that our hosts elected leader, that pillar of moral rectitude, will be swayed by any meally-mouthed diplomat offering ordnance and oil.

Did I just say that out loud?

Edited June 8, 2008 by NanLaew

[Tony Clifton]

FARC...

I bet that's what he said when the cops pulled him up

[Kerryd]

It seems Mr Bout is not the only one the DEA is after. Apparently they have pulled the same kind of sting in Spain to have another amrs dealer arrested. The main difference is that in the Spanish case, they have extradited him to the US already.

"A suspected arms dealer accused of conspiring to sell weapons to Colombian guerrillas was extradited Friday from Spain to the United States, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Kasser was arrested in Madrid a year ago by Spanish police working with undercover DEA officers posing as members of the FARC.

The U.S. accuses Kassar and two other men of conspiring to sell millions of dollars' worth of weapons to FARC, which the United States has designated a terrorist organization.

The weapons included surface-to-air missile systems, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, thousands of machine guns, and millions of rounds of ammunition, according to a federal indictment.

A Spanish court last week approved his extradition on four counts, including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals."

Full story here: Spain extradites alleged arms dealer to U.S.

(I guess "alleged arms dealers" don't have an internet forum where they can discuss business matters and relay information about things like DEA sting operations.)

Times must be tough for certain business interests. Sounds like someone is trying to round up all the competition and put them out of business.

[NanLaew]

Times must be tough for certain business interests. Sounds like someone is trying to round up all the competition and put them out of business.

[/color]

Darn right! All these upstarts going around acting like that 'God of War' chap. Getting rich while screwing up certain legitimate governments perceived right to control the market where these smaller insurrections take place so they can sell off their own surplus ordnance to finance the 'big game' where they roadtest all the newest toys.

Or was that a screenplay already?

[Canadianvisitor]

Times must be tough for certain business interests. Sounds like someone is trying to round up all the competition and put them out of business.

[/color]

Darn right! All these upstarts going around acting like that 'God of War' chap. Getting rich while screwing up certain legitimate governments perceived right to control the market where these smaller insurrections take place so they can sell off their own surplus ordnance to finance the 'big game' where they roadtest all the newest toys.

"Or was that a screenplay already?"

Nah, it would never work!

[Briggsy]

Viktor Bout stlll held with no end in sight.

Guantanamo has been exported to Thailand.

[usatrader]

Viktor Bout stlll held with no end in sight.

Guantanamo has been exported to Thailand.

Yoo, you didn’t say? It is about darn time they got those 270 innocents out of Cuba.

Will the World Court holding their trials in Pattaya or Phuket? I think since the Russian are pushing, or will soon be pushing, the dominate Western Europeans out of Pattaya, they would, overall, be better held there, don’t you?

[anthos]

^^

There's no need to push the "western europeans", they fall down by themselves )

since the the thread refuses to die I suggest a Bout bet

ha roi baht that Bout will return to mother Russia within 2008

[Briggsy]

With the Russian diesel deal loitering on the horizon, will Viktor "The People's Arm Dealer" Bout be released from his fetid, crowded cell and his dubious incarceration be brought to an end?

Let's hope so for the sake of world peace.

[Kerryd]

since the the thread refuses to die I suggest a Bout bet

ha roi baht that Bout will return to mother Russia within 2008

Payable in frozen chickens no doubt ?

Well, I never made it up to Bkk to visit Mr Bout last time I was in country. It appears I will have 2-3 days to kill on a layover of sorts at the end of the month. Maybe a good time to drop in, donate some ciggies, smuggle a nail file in a bowl of som tam, get the "inside" scoop, (drop off a resume) ?

[Jai Dee]

Update:

'Merchant of Death' appears in Thai court

An alleged arms smuggler's extradition hearing to the United States began Monday after a string of delays in the high-profile case because of complications with his defense team in Thailand.

Viktor Bout, dubbed "The Merchant of Death," has been indicted in the U.S. on four terrorism charges. He was arrested in Thailand on March 6.

Though Bout denies any involvement in illicit activities, he is regarded as one of the world's most-wanted arms traffickers and was purportedly the model for the character portrayed by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 movie "Lord of War."

Chained at the ankles, Bout made no comment as he was led into Bangkok's Criminal Court.

Monday's hearing was briefly interrupted at the start when defense attorney Preecha Prasertsak petitioned the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the Russian had been illegally detained. After a half-hour adjournment, judges said the complaint would be considered at a later date.

Bout's defense team has repeatedly said she plans to fight his extradition, a procedure that has been bogged down by the Russian's inability to hold onto a lawyer.

The hearing was initially scheduled to start June 9 but was postponed when Bout's attorney at the time said he had heart problems.

Bout was then given a court-appointed attorney who failed to show up for the rescheduled hearing on July 28, saying he had another case in court at the same time. That lawyer was dismissed and Bout was assigned representation by Preecha.

It was not immediately clear how long the extradition proceedings would take.

The 41-year-old Russian faces charges of conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to kill U.S. officers or employees, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile, according to a U.S. indictment made public May 6. He faces a life sentence.

American prosecutors say Bout was offering a deadly arsenal of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, including more than 700 surface-to-air missiles, thousands of guns, high-tech helicopters, and airplanes outfitted with grenade launchers and missiles. The U.S. classifies FARC as a terrorist organization.

The charges were based in part on a covertly recorded meeting in Thailand on March 6. Bout was arrested after a sting operation in which undercover U.S. agents posed as Colombian rebels.

Bout, who has been accused of breaking several U.N. arms embargoes, has a long list of alleged clients including African dictators and warlords such as former Liberian President Charles Taylor, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and both sides of the civil war in Angola.

Source: AP - 22 September 2008

[Jai Dee]

Alleged arms dealer Bout in Thai court for US extradition case

A Thai court on Monday opened extradition hearings for alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, which could send the man dubbed the "Merchant of Death" to the United States to face terrorism charges.

Thailand's criminal court must decide whether there is enough evidence to extradite Bout to the United States, where he could face life in prison for allegedly funnelling arms to some of the world's bloodiest conflict zones.

Bout did not speak to reporters as he entered the courtroom in shackles, an orange prison-issue outfit and running shoes.

The stocky former Soviet air force officer was arrested in Bangkok in March after a sting operation headed by US agents, and Monday's proceedings opened with Bout's lawyers filing an appeal against his detention.

"I have submitted the petition that Viktor Bout has been detained illegally," his Thai lawyer Preecha Prasertsak told reporters, but did not say on what grounds they were contesting the detention.

The judge told the court that a separate date would be set to discuss the petition, and opened the extradition hearings.

Lawyers questioned the first witness for the prosecution, a Thai foreign ministry official, on technical details of the arrest and extradition case. A US embassy official and Thai police officer were also due to testify Monday.

The fourth and final prosecution witness and witnesses for the defence will be called to the stand on October 10.

During the sting operation, Bout allegedly agreed to supply surface-to-air missiles to US anti-drug agents posing as rebels from Colombia's Marxist FARC group, which Washington considers a terrorist organisation.

He has been charged with conspiracy to kill US officers or employees and conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile.

Bout has been held at a maximum-security prison outside Bangkok since his arrest on March 6, and has complained that he has been jailed unlawfully on "fabricated American accusations".

A US indictment accuses Bout of using a fleet of cargo planes to transport weapons and military equipment to Africa, South America and the Middle East.

He is accused of being a global gun-runner since the 1990s, and is believed to have supplied arms to the Taliban militia, Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda terror network and former Liberian leader Charles Taylor.

His apparent downfall came after the 12-month undercover sting in which US Drug Enforcement Administration agents infiltrated Bout's inner circle posing as FARC rebels seeking an arsenal of weapons.

Source: AFP - 22 September 2008

[Briggsy]

Viktor Bout must be freed. He is an innocent man held in the hellish conditions of a Thai prison with no end in sight. Even convicted murderers get bail here.

This is a travesty.

[Kerryd]

Viktor Bout must be freed. He is an innocent man held in the hellish conditions of a Thai prison with no end in sight. Even convicted murderers get bail here.

This is a travesty.

Yeah, and some convicted criminals even get their passports handed back to them while on appeal.

And considering that all they are doing is an extradition hearing. He's not being charged with anything by Thailand (remember they trumped up some charges and then dropped them).

Note: It doesn't appear (from these pics) that he's suffering too much. Being ex-KGB and probably having some friends in/out of prison may be helping to make his life a little easier.

Still, he's been there for how long now ? Over 6 1/2 months.

I'm guessing someone behind closed doors is putting a lot of pressure on Thailand to hold VB until they can figure a way of getting their hands on him.

[AlKing]

You sure you didn't get the wrong man. He just look like a Pataya regular. Doesn't look like those KGB in the American movies.

[bruceboy]

This could get very interesting.

[Chang_paarp]

Looks like he has lost some weight in the infamous Thai prison system. Not everything is bad for him.

since the the thread refuses to die I suggest a Bout bet

ha roi baht that Bout will return to mother Russia within 2008

Payable in frozen chickens no doubt ?

Well, I never made it up to Bkk to visit Mr Bout last time I was in country. It appears I will have 2-3 days to kill on a layover of sorts at the end of the month. Maybe a good time to drop in, donate some ciggies, smuggle a nail file in a bowl of som tam, get the "inside" scoop, (drop off a resume) ?

Kerry I am sure you know some far more available folk in your game. OK Dirtistan is not fun, but you don't get hunted all the time, you come to Pattaya for that.

[JimsKnight]

The Americans want him arrested and locked up, because if anyone is going to sell weapons to 'two bit dictators' it's going to be the Americans.

once again, somebody who can't think for themselves and and has the habit of then talking outloud. If you are going to be stupid please do it on your own time....

So you're saying the US or it's Allies don't sell arms to dictatorial countries?

They sell arms to 'Sovereign' countries which tend to be more accountable if they cross the line.

Dictatorship or not (most countries are dictatorships so the point is moot), they are 'recognised' sovereign countries.

The money goes into the treasury of a country for the benefit of the country (ideally).

This guy was selling arms to rebel forces and 'unknown entities' who are not accountable and could topple a government

The money was going to one person, him, benefiting fewer people as a result etc etc.

[Kerryd]

So you're saying the US or it's Allies don't sell arms to dictatorial countries?

They sell arms to 'Sovereign' countries which tend to be more accountable if they cross the line.

Dictatorship or not (most countries are dictatorships so the point is moot), they are 'recognised' sovereign countries.

The money goes into the treasury of a country for the benefit of the country (ideally).

This guy was selling arms to rebel forces and 'unknown entities' who are not accountable and could topple a government

The money was going to one person, him, benefiting fewer people as a result etc etc.

I guess we won't mention the Contras, or the Muhajideen, or the Hmong and (who knows how many groups in Africa).

(lets not forget to that some of his customers work for the very same governments that now want him locked up. I guess it was OK to do those things when a government wants it done, but boy-oh-boy, try to do some similar deals on your own and suddenly they want your head).

[Kerryd]

The saga continues, and Victor remains in jail:

(FauxNews - 10 Oct 08)

BANGKOK, Thailand — The defense lawyer for a Russian man alleged to be one of the world's biggest arms dealers said Friday that his client would not receive a fair trial if extradited to the United States.

The U.S. is seeking the extradition from Thailand of Viktor Bout, who has been indicted in the U.S. on four terrorism-related charges. He was arrested in Thailand on March 6. (over 7 months ago. Not charged with anything in Thailand. No bail granted.)

"My client is innocent. We are trying to prove that he would not get a fair trial in the U.S.," defense attorney Chamroen Panompakakorn said in a hearing at Bangkok Criminal Court.

Chamroen gave as an example the case of Hambali, alleged to have been a key Muslim terrorist leader in Southeast Asia.

Hambali, an Indonesian whose real name is Riduan Isamuddin, was captured in Thailand in 2003 and later transferred to the U.S. military jail at Guantanamo Bay where he is being held without trial. (almost 5 years ago now and no trial)

The 41-year-old Russian has been dubbed "The Merchant of Death," by the media, but he denies any involvement in illicit activities. He was purportedly the model for the arms dealer portrayed by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 movie "Lord of War."

According to reports by U.N. agencies and several Western governments, he has delivered arms to dictators and warlords in Africa and Afghanistan, allegedly breaking several U.N. arms embargoes in the process. (conveniently forgetting to mention that some of his clients were also UN members)

Bout's lawyers have petitioned the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that he had been illegally detained.Bout was arrested in Bangkok in a sting operation in which undercover U.S. agents posed as Latin American rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

During an earlier hearing, an agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said the agency set up the operation that lured Bout from Russia to his arrest in the Thai capital.

"Mr. Bout is one of the biggest arms dealers in the world," said DEA agent Robert Zachariasiewicz.

He said Bout supplied "sophisticated and military-grade weapons, from rifles to missiles" to organizations fighting legitimate governments in conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Africa and South America. (same thing certain countries have done, and continue to do, when it's in their interest)

Zachariasiewicz said Bout faces U.S. charges of conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to kill U.S. officers or employees, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile. He could face a maximum penalty of life in prison. (I guess anyone, anywhere in the world, that buys a firearm could be arrested under those charges. And since when did the US get the authority to charge anyone, anywhere with "conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile" ? Is that a universal law that applies to every person on the planet ?)

The charges were based in part on a covertly recorded meeting in Thailand on March 6.

U.S. prosecutors say Bout was offering a deadly arsenal of weapons to FARC, including more than 700 surface-to-air missiles, thousands of guns, high-tech helicopters, and airplanes outfitted with grenade launchers and missiles. The U.S. classifies FARC as a terrorist organization.

Full story: Hearing for alleged Russian arms dealer continues

[TAWP]

Best part is the amount of what they said he offered. Well, that makes it sound like he offered them to take it off his hands. The case is the opposite, he is a merchant and he has a store containing all of those items. The real FARC, nor the fake, wouldn't have the money to buy even a minor portion of all that gear.

Like listing every item a super market is offering to try to skew the image of the seller into being abusive to fat people...

[ourmaninbangers]

Before people piss all over the USA, the arms this fellow was selling violated the UN embargo on arms sales to the Congo. The impetus came from multiple countries with which hold political views hostile to US foreign policy.China, South Africa, and several south american and african countries all wanted this guy shut down.

As much as some of you may hate the americans, their arms sales are probably the cleanest in the world as they are open to public scrutiny. The reality of the arms trade is that almost all of the weapons in the hands of despots today are sourced from Russia, China, India and several quasi european nations.

As for dragging up the arms to Iraq issue, there appears to be collective amnesia because there were questions raised about those sales in Congress. Opponents of the sales were accused of being in cahoots of the "pro-Israel" lobby and discriminating against arabs. Many important arab nations lobbied on behalf of the arms sales and stated that a failure to sell arms to Iraq was a blatant act of discrimination against arabs. Look up the news editorials and coverage at the time. Note too that in the arab world, Iraq was considered the defender of the arab world against expansionist Iranian radicals. Iraq was the country that kept Iran out of the arab countries. Of course, all those lofty statements went out the window when Iraq invaded Kuwait to defend against what Iraq believed was a siphoning off of Iraq's oil reserves. Hindsight is 20-20.

At the time of the arms sales, only two nations were opposed: Iran and Israel. Russia and its former east bloc arms manufacturers were out of the picture because they were supplying Iran. China, Italy and France were okay with the sales because they were (and continue to be) some of the largest buyers of Iraqi oil and were worried about their supplies being disrupted by Iran.

the US is the biggest piss artist- wehn it comes to arms

got a little taste of its own medicne on 9-11, did,nt like it, then declare a non excistant war- which it does,nt seem to be winning to well

again, its start3ed something it cannot finnish

like when it got its ass well and truly kicked in nam

it set up the UN, then when it did not suit broke its rules...real moral leadership there

the yanks are so dumb( the ones in power, not all, i love the everyday ones) with some of their policys it is beyond belief

and listen, did you know that something like 60% of yanks in power believe in God...

in other words we are at the mercy of people who beleive in a talking snake and other total BS

that makes me sleep well at night