Thailand To Extradite Russian Arms Dealer Viktor Bout To US: PM Abhisit

[webfact]

Thailand to extradite alleged Russian arms dealer to US: PM

BANGKOK, November 16, 2010 (AFP) - Thailand's government has approved the extradition of alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to the United States on terrorism charges, the prime minister said Tuesday.

"The cabinet has approved the extradition of Bout," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. "He will be extradited whenever the US is ready."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-11-16

[animatic]

It was only a matter of time.

Have a safe trip to the plane, dude!

I am sure once airborne he can relax a bit with

the target removed from his forehead.

Edited November 16, 2010 by animatic

[PoolDoctor]

It was only a matter of time.

Have a safe trip to the plane, dude!

I am sure once airborne he can relax a bit with

the target removed from his forehead.

It was only a matter of time, glad to see the U.S. is adamant that this man will stand trial and be accountable. If he is innocent as he says, then no harm. I doubt though, that the U.S. govt would go to these great lengths unless it had an iron tight reason. As an American, I think our justice system (while not perfect) does its best to ferret out right and wrong.

[webfact]

20 commandos & 4 US officials are going to Bang Kwang Prison preparing to take Viktor Bout to still unidentified airport. /via@nnanews /vi atukky_nt

[sausageandmash]

I think it's hilarious that no-one on this site realises what Russia might do in retaliation.

Think about it - the Americans now have an-ex KGB man in their country who can now spill every Russian secret he knows. If anyone is going to murder Bout, it will be his own people.

It was only a matter of time.

Have a safe trip to the plane, dude!

I am sure once airborne he can relax a bit with

the target removed from his forehead.

[FarangKenStine]

he will hang from the highest tree in teXas...... and please- no hang em high posts

[webfact]

UPDATE

Thailand to extradite 'Merchant of Death'

by Boonradom Chitradon

BANGKOK, November 16, 2010 (AFP) - Thailand on Tuesday approved the extradition of an alleged Russian arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death" to the United States on terrorism charges after months of legal wrangling.

Viktor Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force pilot, has been fighting extradition since his March 2008 arrest after a sting operation in Bangkok involving undercover US agents posing as Colombian FARC rebels.

The Thai government's move is likely to prompt further fury from Moscow which has vowed it will do all it can to bring Bout home.

"The cabinet has approved the extradition of Bout," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. "He will be extradited whenever the US is ready.

"The Thai foreign ministry has already worked out the details with the relevant agencies."

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

A Thai appeals court in August ordered the Russian to be handed over to the United States on terrorism charges, prompting Washington to send a special jet to collect him.

But the plane was left waiting on the tarmac after the process was held up by technicalities over new accusations of money-laundering and fraud filed by the United States in an attempt to strengthen its case.

Abhisit has said he would take the final decision on whether to extradite Bout, whose nickname the "Merchant of Death" was coined by a former British government minister.

Bout has maintained his innocence from the day he was detained in the Thai capital after allegedly agreeing to supply surface-to-air missiles in a series of covert meetings that also took him to Denmark and Romania.

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

Washington, which has described Bout as "one of the world's most prolific arms traffickers," has lobbied hard for his extradition. The case has put Thailand in a difficult diplomatic spot between the United States and Russia.

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.

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.

Washington alleges that the arms he has sold or brokered have fuelled conflicts and supported regimes in Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Sudan.

The US embassy in Bangkok declined to say whether Washington had sent another jet to take him away.

"We do not discuss pending extradition cases," said spokeswoman Kristin Kneedler.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-11-16

[steelepulse]

Is it groundhog day today? Didn't this same event take place a couple of months ago and was stopped at the last minute?

[harrisonkrs1]

The book merchant of death is an interesting read. Finally Bout is about to face the music. I don't agree with the US on a lot of things but bringing this guy in is one I do agree.

[alstaxi]

Wonder what key role Tacky played in this drama?

[david555]

20 commandos & 4 US officials are going to Bang Kwang Prison preparing to take Viktor Bout to still unidentified airport. /via@nnanews /vi atukky_nt

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11763221

[thurien]

20 commandos & 4 US officials are going to Bang Kwang Prison preparing to take Viktor Bout to still unidentified airport. /via@nnanews /vi atukky_nt

they would even go to Phnom Penh AP in order not to dupe their Russian political friends...

[bob6023]

The US can not even deal with the criminals already in America and a lot of them are politicians

[ChiangMaiThai]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

[maxman71]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

Please enlighten us all the countries that offer a more fair system of justice. Of course there are countries who's idea of issuing justice to those convicted consists of treatment and confinement more in line of a country club. I was once wrongfully accused of crimes in the US, and while it took some time, it all got sorted out and my record was wiped clean. Please inform us, Oh Enlightened One, if Russia, China, Thailand, etc. would afford such treatment.

[Sigmond]

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable.

Cash rules everything

[maxman71]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

You're damned right Thailand will defer more carefully to the US than Russia. Why would they do otherwise??? The US is not at all perfect...but Russia??? And you think this characted Bout is some sort innocent Boy Scout? Who is Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc, running to at the present to counter-balance the muscle flexing of China? Wake up buddy.

[ChiangMaiThai]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

Please enlighten us all the countries that offer a more fair system of justice. Of course there are countries who's idea of issuing justice to those convicted consists of treatment and confinement more in line of a country club. I was once wrongfully accused of crimes in the US, and while it took some time, it all got sorted out and my record was wiped clean. Please inform us, Oh Enlightened One, if Russia, China, Thailand, etc. would afford such treatment.

I don't know, if I was wrongly accused, I would be hoping that I had my day in court somewhere in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, or New Zealand before the US. Don't get me wrong, I'd choose the US before most of the other countries in the world, but it is the 'we're the best' and 'we have the most fair justice system in the world' that makes me want to vomit.

But don't take my word for it.

The Economist

Crime and punishment in America - Rough justice

America locks up too many people, some for acts that should not even be criminal

http://www.economist.com/node/16640389

and

Investors Put Money on Lawsuits to Get Payouts

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/business/15lawsuit.html

Large banks, hedge funds and private investors hungry for new and lucrative opportunities are bankrolling other people’s lawsuits, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into medical malpractice claims, divorce battles and class actions against corporations — all in the hope of sharing in the potential winnings.

and then come back and post why all of that is okay and why America's justice system should be a beacon of hope to the world.

[DiamondKing]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

Please enlighten us all the countries that offer a more fair system of justice. Of course there are countries who's idea of issuing justice to those convicted consists of treatment and confinement more in line of a country club. I was once wrongfully accused of crimes in the US, and while it took some time, it all got sorted out and my record was wiped clean. Please inform us, Oh Enlightened One, if Russia, China, Thailand, etc. would afford such treatment.

And who will be the police who brings in the Worlds largest Prolific Arms dealer accountable for Millions of deaths

which is the Good OL US of A

Nothing like getting rid of the competition

As usual with the US one rule for everyone else and another for them

DK

Edited November 16, 2010 by DiamondKing

[webfact]

UPDATE

Viktor Bout on way from prison to immigration: lawyer

BANGKOK, November 16, 2010 (AFP) - Alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was escorted by police from a Bangkok prison Tuesday and was on his way to immigration ahead of his imminent extradition to the US, his lawyer said.

"Police from the Crime Suppression Division took him to the immigration office," his lawyer Lak Nithiwatanawicharn said outside Bang Kwang maximum security prison where Bout had been held.

A convoy of a white van and six police cars with their sirens blaring was seen speeding away from the jail.

Bout's wife Alla was waiting outside but did not have a chance to see her husband immediately before he left, according to the lawyer.

Earlier Tuesday the Thai cabinet approved Bout's extradition to the United States on terrorism charges after months of legal wrangling, saying he would be handed over whenever Washington was ready.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-11-16

[SomTumTiger]

One less thing for Thailand to worry about. Let the big boys slug it out regarding the Merchant of Death.

[maxman71]

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable.

Cash rules everything

Take your Che Guevarra pinwheel hat and shove it, Newbie. When the crap even has a hint of hitting the fan i.e. China flexing its' muscles, N Korea getting more feisty than usual, etc, who does Asia, et. al. go running to??? Russia??? What an F'ing joke. When things are hunky-dory, you limp-wristed pacifists bitch, whine and moan over the transgressions of the US. When things even have a hint of getting ugly, who do you go crying to like a little girl who dropped her ice cream cone in a pile of dog crap??? The UN??? HAHAHA!!!

[ChiangMaiThai]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

You're damned right Thailand will defer more carefully to the US than Russia. Why would they do otherwise??? The US is not at all perfect...but Russia??? And you think this characted Bout is some sort innocent Boy Scout? Who is Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc, running to at the present to counter-balance the muscle flexing of China? Wake up buddy.

So then we agree that it is not about what is right and wrong, but about which side is more important to please.

Edited November 16, 2010 by ChiangMaiThai

[maxman71]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

Please enlighten us all the countries that offer a more fair system of justice. Of course there are countries who's idea of issuing justice to those convicted consists of treatment and confinement more in line of a country club. I was once wrongfully accused of crimes in the US, and while it took some time, it all got sorted out and my record was wiped clean. Please inform us, Oh Enlightened One, if Russia, China, Thailand, etc. would afford such treatment.

And who will be the police who brings in the Worlds largest Prolific Arms dealer accountable for Millions of deaths

which is the Good OL US of A

Nothing like getting rid of the competition

As usual with the US one rule for everyone else and another for them

DK

Oh sure You Most Enlightened One of Unquestionable Morality, please go about the task and expense of ensuring the shipping lanes in the Pacific are relatively free and safe, or in the present situation, even Vietnam wants the US to counter-balance China in the Pacific region. You are nothing more than a whiny little pacifist.

[Lancelot]

I think it's hilarious that no-one on this site realises what Russia might do in retaliation.

Think about it - the Americans now have an-ex KGB man in their country who can now spill every Russian secret he knows. If anyone is going to murder Bout, it will be his own people.

True, the Ruskies won't be too happy. Wonder if Bout will sing like a canary or keep his mouth shut to protect family back in Mother Russia...

[maxman71]

I guess America had more to offer - or more to take away from Thailand.

And the post regarding the fairness of the American justice system is laughable. Do a little research and you will see the the reality of the harshness of the sentences that are handed out at random in the 'land of the free and home of the brave'.

You're damned right Thailand will defer more carefully to the US than Russia. Why would they do otherwise??? The US is not at all perfect...but Russia??? And you think this characted Bout is some sort innocent Boy Scout? Who is Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc, running to at the present to counter-balance the muscle flexing of China? Wake up buddy.

So then we agree that it is not about what is right and wrong, but about which side is more important to please.

If you have any reason to believe Bout is not being treated fairly, then enlighten us. The US has bigger fish to fry than going after someone of no consequence. The US has had good relations with Thailand for 177 years. Russia hasn't even been able to keep the same form of goverment at least twice in the same amount of time.

I really get a kick out of US bashers. They like to bitch, whine and moan over the US' errors, etc, of which there are many. But when most of the rest of the world lacks the balls to stand up to threats, the US will often times do so, and that is a messy business. Please comment why Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, S Korea, etc are all currently looking to the US to counter-balance an aggressive China. For that matter, China has benefited from relatively free and safe shipping lanes in the Asia Pacific over the last several decades, and you probably have also. You're welcome, Lord Ajax.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Ok, Maxman, I give up. The US is the greatest country in the history of all humanity. It's justice system is superior to that of any nation. If you are wrongly accused of a crime in the US, don't worry, the courts will surely set you free - and if somehow they don't, well another country couldn't have done any better. All sentences are fair and just and the judges who apologize before handing down harsh sentences - because they have been stripped of any power to actually judge, well they are just whiny little pacifists!

[hammered]

Be interesting to see how it affects what were improving US-Russia relations, and if there will be any retaliation such as arresting a "US spy"

[pavlik]

This is truly a sad day for Soviet Russia...

[Krungbin]

Best way for the Americans to keep him qiet on the shipments he made for them....In Angola for instance...or in Afghanistan to the Afghan Northern Alliance...

This case, I believe, is nothing but politics. It will help people forget the now (in)famous alleged "arms of mass destruction"...