Russia Fears Viktor Bout Could Reveal Secrets

[webfact]

Russia fears 'Merchant of Death' could reveal secrets

by Antoine Lambroschini

MOSCOW, October 16, 2010 (AFP) - Russia is keen to stop Thailand's extradition to the United States of arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death", because it fears he could reveal embarrassing secrets, experts said.

The inspiration for the Hollywood film "Lord of War", Bout is facing terrorism charges in the United States and is accused of using a fleet of cargo planes to deliver arms in Africa, South America and the Middle East.

Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force pilot, was arrested in 2008 after a sting operation in Bangkok involving undercover US agents posing as Colombian FARC rebels.

Bout has repeatedly denied suggestions that he was a former KGB agent and maintains that he ran a legitimate air cargo business.

A furious Moscow has said the extradition attempt is politically motivated and vowed "to do everything necessary" to bring Bout home, sparking speculation that he may have knowledge of sensitive information.

Thailand's Criminal Court earlier this month dismissed money-laundering and fraud charges against Bout that had been holding up his extradition, citing insufficient evidence. In an apparent delaying tactic, Bout's lawyer said he had submitted an appeal against the decision.

Tatyana Stanovaya, an analyst with the Moscow-based Centre for Political Technology, said the Russian government fears that Bout will reveal details implicating the country in international arms trafficking.

"Bout was carrying out informal duties for a part of the Russian elite, for certain people in the government," she said, without mentioning specific names.

"There are cases where the state cannot have explicit relationships with pariah countries or organisations without a very good reputation. In such cases, you use people like him, on the borders of the law," she said.

If Bout is in fact, as Washington says, "one of the most prolific arms traffickers in the world," it is likely he benefited from some official complicity during the chaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

According to American journalist Douglas Farah, co-author of the book "Merchant of Death", Bout launched his career by obtaining Soviet-era planes that "were guarded by soldiers no one was paying."

Vadim Kozyulin, a professor at the Russian Academy of Military Sciences, said it is unlikely Bout carries secrets serious enough to damage the current Russian government, but he could reveal some embarrassing details about the country's elite.

Kozyulin said that by seeking to prevent the extradition Moscow is looking to protect Russia's reputation and those of influential figures who made their fortunes working alongside Bout in the 1990s, when weapons were disappearing from across the former Soviet Union.

"In the 1990s everything was possible, the country had fallen apart... and there was no control over military equipment," he said.

"Many among those who profited are now important people. They would be very uncomfortable if someone revealed how they earned their first millions," Kozyulin said.

"Russian diplomats know that Bout will have to cooperate if he is sent to the United States," he added.

Experts noted, however, that Moscow has no real means of putting pressure on Thailand to prevent the extradition, which the United States has lobbied hard to secure.

Bout, who speaks six languages and has used at least seven separate identities, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted in the United States on charges including conspiracy to kill US nationals and providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organisation.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-10-16

[spiderleghead]

so...

[neilf]

oh yeah secrets bout what

[asiawatcher]

The Russian worm is squirming on the hook. Can't wait to see what will be caught and why the Ruskies are so peeved at all this. Must be big!

[1weatherman]

A furious Moscow has said the extradition attempt is politically motivated and vowed "to do everything necessary" to bring Bout home, sparking speculation that he may have knowledge of sensitive information.

If indeed he knows "things", a pine box might be the mode of transport home that Moscow would like.

[tomyummer]

It's incredible what 5,000 baht can get you these days.....

Edited October 16, 2010 by tomyummer

[Jingthing]

Russia is a dictatorship now and still has secret police to keep the people in fear. The same people who ran the mass slave prisons are in the government, including PUTIN. The sympathy shown towards the Russian side in this dispute is both comical and sad.

[animatic]

Of course Certain inj Russia are scared. Because there is dirt in their closet and they will lose big time status and leverage if somethings they have done are public knowledge. If the USA has access to the trickle of said dirty information, then Russia will have to agree to things it's collective ego will not be happy with

to keep the tap closed.

Sad state off affairs that Thailand is being jerked around by a paranoid Russia

in this business. But clearly Bout is a font of information, and the efforts to block his exit is quite indicative of just how deep the <deleted> he is involved with goes.

This is less about his fair trial in USA and more about his pant load of information, and the concurrent abilities to infiltrate and close down certain networks, and close back door channels in a number of places.

Essentially this guy was a 'head spooks' window dressing or 'tip of the spear',

and said 'head spook' wants his knowledge kept quiet. And that is as good a reason as any to NOT keep it quiet.

Edited October 16, 2010 by animatic

[rubin]

oh yeah secrets bout what

Indeed, which secrets are they talking about? The Russian government sold all their secrets looooong time ago.

[rubin]

oh yeah secrets bout what

Indeed, which secrets are they talking about? The Russian government sold all their secrets looooong time ago.

[OzMick]

Russia fears 'Merchant of Death' could reveal secrets

No shit, Sherlock!

[craigt3365]

Like they said, it is old info, so probably not really important, except for the hi-so's who made big bucks selling arms to anybody and everybody...but it would sure be interesting to see what he spills if he ends up in the US...

[nong38]

Maybe he knows the winning lottery numbers in Thailand's draw ( its excellent value ).

[monkfish]

He will probably commit suicide before getting to the US.

[animatic]

He will probably commit suicide before getting to the US.

Or some bad boys would try to make it look so.

If he gets to the USA, most likely he gets questioned and then put in Witness Protection. He can have a nice quiet life and no one will find him if he isn't stupid with communications. He has certain skills they might want anyway.

Edited October 16, 2010 by animatic

[SergeiY]

Russia is a dictatorship now and still has secret police to keep the people in fear. The same people who ran the mass slave prisons are in the government, including PUTIN. The sympathy shown towards the Russian side in this dispute is both comical and sad.

And the USA is a worldwide aggressor ...

[random]

Russia is a dictatorship now and still has secret police to keep the people in fear. The same people who ran the mass slave prisons are in the government, including PUTIN. The sympathy shown towards the Russian side in this dispute is both comical and sad.

And the USA is a worldwide aggressor ...

and lets not forget the patriot act removing certain freedoms in the USA, the sympathy shown towards Russia is probably based on the hypocrisy of the usa

[LaoPo]

"..secrets...."

As if the American Intelligence services don't know about those alleged secrets already for a very long time.

At the same time there are the same kind of secrets Bout could tell about the Americans, when he was doing business with and for them; but hey, that's of course not so dirty as when the Russians are selling weapons, is it ?

Hypocracy at it's finest talking about the dirty weapons business industry where the USA is the largest producer and seller

But, maybe somone can tell me the difference in a dead body if hit by an American or Russian bullet?

LaoPo

[SergeiY]

Russia is a dictatorship now and still has secret police to keep the people in fear. The same people who ran the mass slave prisons are in the government, including PUTIN. The sympathy shown towards the Russian side in this dispute is both comical and sad.

And the USA is a worldwide aggressor ...

and lets not forget the patriot act removing certain freedoms in the USA, the sympathy shown towards Russia is probably based on the hypocrisy of the usa

Exactly.

[BaronCasey]

Personally I'd prefer to see George W "half a biscuit" Bush extradited to Iraq to face charges of invasion and the deaths of 110,000 people who did (and do) nothing more than defend their country from a group of well armed foreign invaders that came from a land far far away, some of whom carry army issue Zippo lighters engraved with "Death is My Business, and Business is Good" - pathetic... - set the Russian free...

[craigt3365]

Russia is a dictatorship now and still has secret police to keep the people in fear. The same people who ran the mass slave prisons are in the government, including PUTIN. The sympathy shown towards the Russian side in this dispute is both comical and sad.

And the USA is a worldwide aggressor ...

And Russia is perfect?

[britmaveric]

Well Bout has a long history with the CIA, so I have no doubt he will be a well treated guest. This is all about intel gathering - I seriously doubt you will find him ever tried or jailed for that matter.

[LanxangBillybob]

...secrets...

We will finally find out what that was on Gorbachev's head.

[gemini81]

Personally I'd prefer to see George W "half a biscuit" Bush extradited to Iraq to face charges of invasion and the deaths of 110,000 people who did (and do) nothing more than defend their country from a group of well armed foreign invaders that came from a land far far away, some of whom carry army issue Zippo lighters engraved with "Death is My Business, and Business is Good" - pathetic... - set the Russian free...

set him free? You cant be that ignorant! well, i hope he ends up as your neighbor.

[SergeiY]

Personally I'd prefer to see George W "half a biscuit" Bush extradited to Iraq to face charges of invasion and the deaths of 110,000 people who did (and do) nothing more than defend their country from a group of well armed foreign invaders that came from a land far far away, some of whom carry army issue Zippo lighters engraved with "Death is My Business, and Business is Good" - pathetic... - set the Russian free...

set him free? You cant be that ignorant! well, i hope he ends up as your neighbor.

Yep, set him free. And why not having him as a neighbor, he sounds like a very intelligent and decent man unlike some Americans who go totally paranoid over him.

[OzMick]

Well Bout has a long history with the CIA, so I have no doubt he will be a well treated guest. This is all about intel gathering - I seriously doubt you will find him ever tried or jailed for that matter.

So after a very lengthy and public extradition, he won't go to trial? So what happens next?

[britmaveric]

^as I said Bout will be treated as a guest and likely tell everything he knows. The lad has made deals before - he's quite use to this by now.

[OzMick]

^as I said Bout will be treated as a guest and likely tell everything he knows. The lad has made deals before - he's quite use to this by now.

I think you have the wrong game. If that was what was wanted, they would have quietly snatched him. After being proven that he has a case to answer, he will face a court and try to plea bargain by supplying what information he has, spoken out loud in court, for maximum embarrassment to his Russian suppliers. And still get 20 years. Som nom na.

[brahmburgers]

I had a small time arms dealer as a neighbor - once, in the sticks of northern California. No fun.

Besides having loaded automatic weapons around, he had attack-trained dogs on steel tethers all around his property. A very paranoid and unpleasant person to have next door. I once went to his house to see if he was home, and I walked by his dogs, who just panted and licked my hand. When the weapons dealer found out, he was livid, and promised to kill me if I told anyone that his dogs were wimps.

But back to Bout: He will get to the States and he will be interrogated (probably humanely, as it seems unlikely it would take much persuasion for him to reveal juicy secrets). He'll do some time, but probably not life, if he's willing to implicate others. Note: US Federal penalties don't allow for pardons or any shortening of time behind bars. If he's sentenced to 'life' it will be for the rest of his life.

[Jingthing]

He'll probably end up as a US citizen, make a book deal, host a tv talk show and get even richer. Don't worry about him, if he talks, he will be able to get a sweet plea deal.