Suspected Russian Arms Dealer Facing Extradition to U.S.
- 14 years ago
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout arrives at Thai court for a verdict on extra charges filed against him. The court dismissed the charges and he now relies on the Thai President to halt his extradition to the United States.
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout arrived back at Bangkok's criminal court on Tuesday for a ruling on money laundering and wire fraud charges.
The court dismissed the charges removing a major obstacle to his extradition to the United States.
The legal wrangling is the latest twist in a two-year diplomatic tug of war between Washington and Moscow over a man accused of trafficking weapons since the 1990s to dictators and conflict zones in Africa, South America and the Middle East.
Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force pilot, was arrested after a sting operation in Bangkok involving undercover US agents posing as rebels from Colombia's Marxist FARC group.
Bout has also petitioned Thailand's prime minister to block the extradition.
The prime minister says he will make a decision based on national and diplomatic interests.
Bout 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 organization.
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout arrived back at Bangkok's criminal court on Tuesday for a ruling on money laundering and wire fraud charges.
The court dismissed the charges removing a major obstacle to his extradition to the United States.
The legal wrangling is the latest twist in a two-year diplomatic tug of war between Washington and Moscow over a man accused of trafficking weapons since the 1990s to dictators and conflict zones in Africa, South America and the Middle East.
Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force pilot, was arrested after a sting operation in Bangkok involving undercover US agents posing as rebels from Colombia's Marxist FARC group.
Bout has also petitioned Thailand's prime minister to block the extradition.
The prime minister says he will make a decision based on national and diplomatic interests.
Bout 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 organization.