Russia to fight Bout extradition
Source: Agencies |
August 21, 2010, Saturday
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RUSSIA yesterday called a Thai court ruling to extradite suspected Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout to the United States "unlawful" and promised to seek his release.
"We regret this unlawful, political decision," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to Armenia. In wording that suggested Russia suspects the US exerted undue influence to secure the ruling, Lavrov said Moscow had information it was made "under very strong external pressure."
"I assure you we will continue to do everything necessary to secure his return to his homeland," Lavrov said of Bout.
The Thai appeals court ruling effectively ends a more than decade-long chase for the man dubbed "The Merchant of Death."
The decision overturns a lower court's rejection of the US extradition request. The court said Bout must be extradited within three months or would be free to return to Russia.
Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force officer, is reputed to be one of the world's most prolific arms dealers.
He has allegedly supplied weapons that fueled civil wars in South America, the Middle East and Africa, with clients, including Liberia's Charles Taylor and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and both sides of the civil war in Angola.
Shackled in leg irons, Bout cried after the verdict was read out and hugged his wife and daughter.
"This is the most unfair decision possible," his wife told reporters. "It is known the world over that this is a political case."
Bout says he is the victim of an American "frame-up."
During testimony, Bout claimed he ran a legitimate air cargo business and was in Bangkok to discuss selling airplanes to Thai businessmen.
Bout's lawyer, Lak Nittiwattanawichan, also called the extradition politically motivated and said he would try to keep fighting the extradition.
"I am going to submit a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet. I will also submit a request to the king and queen."
Bout was arrested in March 2008 at a Bangkok hotel as part of an elaborate sting in which US agents posed as arms buyers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
After his arrest, Bout was indicted in the US on charges of conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth 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 2005 Nicolas Cage film, "The Lord of War," is widely believed to be modeled after Bout's life.
"We regret this unlawful, political decision," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to Armenia. In wording that suggested Russia suspects the US exerted undue influence to secure the ruling, Lavrov said Moscow had information it was made "under very strong external pressure."
"I assure you we will continue to do everything necessary to secure his return to his homeland," Lavrov said of Bout.
The Thai appeals court ruling effectively ends a more than decade-long chase for the man dubbed "The Merchant of Death."
The decision overturns a lower court's rejection of the US extradition request. The court said Bout must be extradited within three months or would be free to return to Russia.
Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force officer, is reputed to be one of the world's most prolific arms dealers.
He has allegedly supplied weapons that fueled civil wars in South America, the Middle East and Africa, with clients, including Liberia's Charles Taylor and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and both sides of the civil war in Angola.
Shackled in leg irons, Bout cried after the verdict was read out and hugged his wife and daughter.
"This is the most unfair decision possible," his wife told reporters. "It is known the world over that this is a political case."
Bout says he is the victim of an American "frame-up."
During testimony, Bout claimed he ran a legitimate air cargo business and was in Bangkok to discuss selling airplanes to Thai businessmen.
Bout's lawyer, Lak Nittiwattanawichan, also called the extradition politically motivated and said he would try to keep fighting the extradition.
"I am going to submit a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet. I will also submit a request to the king and queen."
Bout was arrested in March 2008 at a Bangkok hotel as part of an elaborate sting in which US agents posed as arms buyers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
After his arrest, Bout was indicted in the US on charges of conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth 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 2005 Nicolas Cage film, "The Lord of War," is widely believed to be modeled after Bout's life.
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