Extradition Hearing For Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Postponed

[george]

Thai extradition hearing for alleged arms dealer Bout postponed

BANGKOK: -- A Thai court on Monday postponed extradition hearings for alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is fighting a request to be sent to the United States on terrorism charges.

Judges and lawyers at the criminal court agreed to reconvene at a later date as Bout's new lawyer was unable to attend Monday's hearing.

Bout, who has been dubbed the "Merchant of Death" for his alleged role in supplying arms to global conflicts, did not speak to media as he entered the courtroom in a prison-issue orange uniform, with his legs in shackles.

The former Soviet air force officer was arrested in Bangkok in March this year after an elaborate undercover operation involving US anti-drug agents.

Thailand's criminal court must decide whether there is enough evidence to send Bout to the US, where he faces four counts of terrorism for seeking to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels.

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

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

Bout faces life in prison if convicted by a US court, and has been held at a maximum-security prison outside Bangkok since his arrest on March 6. He has denied the charges against him.

-- AFP 2008-07-28

[cloudhopper]

Probably waiting to see if the Russians will up their bid.

[A_Traveller]

Must admit his name went through my mind when the bizarre Russian oil deal was being discussed the other week.

Regards

[percy2]

I haven't followed this story , but why is the US seeking jurisdiction?

Cheers

[TAWP]

I haven't followed this story , but why is the US seeking jurisdiction?

Cheers

They claim jurisdiction in imagination land.

Step 1) Set up a fake deal with a group you yourself put on a terrorist-list.

Step 2) Claim the weapons, which you are never going to buy or use, is, planned in the imagination of your faked team from this group above, going to be used in killing Americans.

Step 3) Arrest anyone showing up to talk to your agents over details of the deal.

[percy2]

Wasn't there a movie about this?

With Sean Connery?

Cheers

[Jai Dee]

Extradition hearing for Russian 'merchant of death' adjourned

A court in Thailand postponed an extradition hearing for a Russian businessman charged with arms smuggling, as his lawyer failed to show up in court, national media reported on Monday.

Viktor Bout was arrested in March in Bangkok during a joint police operation led by agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

DEA prosecutors claim that Bout conspired with others to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a leftist group listed by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

Earlier a Thai court postponed the first hearing of Bout's extradition case as his Thai lawyer had developed "a heart problem."

Thailand received in early May a formal request from Washington to extradite Bout to the U.S., where he has been indicted on four charges: conspiracy to kill Americans and U.S. officers or employees, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile.

Western law enforcement agencies consider Bout to be "the most prominent foreign businessman" involved in trafficking arms to UN-embargoed destinations.

UN reports say Bout set up a network of more than 50 cargo aircraft around the world to facilitate his arms shipments, earning the nickname 'merchant of death.'

Source: RIA Novosti - 28 July 2008

[Dakhar]

Logically, one should always make sure the check clears before finalizing transactions.

Oddly, there was enough evidence to allow the FBI/CIA etc to come into Thailand to arrest the guy.... but not enough evidence to send him back to the US?

[TAWP]

DEA.

[Briggsy]

As all charges laid against him in Thailand have now been dropped, it seems very unfair to hold him on the grounds of a dubious extradition request. No doubt, it is legally possible or his lawyers would have had him out of there very quickly.

It is likely this extradition request could drag on for years. Would he be held in the squalor of a Thai prison for years in that case? Maybe that's a second best for the US DEA. If they can't stick him in a US prison, they could keep him holed up in a Thai prison.

No doubt all the hangers-on are creaming off a handsome profit from the whole sorry episode. From the jail wardens to the lawyers, from judges all the way up to the politicians using him as a bargaining chip with the Russians and the Americans.

It's time to end this farce and free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

[bino]

Wasn't there a movie about this?

With Sean Connery?

Nicholas Cage - Lord of War

[TAWP]

Victor was the main influence out of 5 very important arms dealers that they molded into Cage's character.

[farang prince]

As all charges laid against him in Thailand have now been dropped, it seems very unfair to hold him on the grounds of a dubious extradition request. No doubt, it is legally possible or his lawyers would have had him out of there very quickly.

It is likely this extradition request could drag on for years. Would he be held in the squalor of a Thai prison for years in that case? Maybe that's a second best for the US DEA. If they can't stick him in a US prison, they could keep him holed up in a Thai prison.

No doubt all the hangers-on are creaming off a handsome profit from the whole sorry episode. From the jail wardens to the lawyers, from judges all the way up to the politicians using him as a bargaining chip with the Russians and the Americans.

It's time to end this farce and free Viktor Bout, the people's champion.

"Viktor Bout, the people's champion..."? Briggsy, what are you smoking?

Edited July 29, 2008 by farang prince

[Tony Clifton]

If they can t have him he s a dead man.

How hard is it to bribe an official or 100 in Thailand?

[Richard W]

I haven't followed this story , but why is the US seeking jurisdiction?

They claim jurisdiction in imagination land.

US claims to extra-territorial jurisidiction are very worrying. Could one be extradited from Thailand to the USA for espionage against the USA from a third country? Could one similarly be extradited for working on the targeting of Trident missiles against US cities? (Don't imagine they're only targeted against France.)

[cloudhopper]

US claims to extra-territorial jurisidiction are very worrying. Could one be extradited from Thailand to the USA for espionage against the USA from a third country? Could one similarly be extradited for working on the targeting of Trident missiles against US cities? (Don't imagine they're only targeted against France.)

I also dabble in espionage and missile targeting so these questions keep me up nights too.

[percy2]

Wasn't there a movie about this?

With Sean Connery?

Nicholas Cage - Lord of War

It sounds more like

Sean Connery - Entrapment

Cheers

[Tony Clifton]

He's held captive by incompetent, corrupt and murderous men in brown uniforms, perfect for a new movie based on a true story.