Viktor Bout: Man in the dock

[JohnnyFishfinger]

Viktor Bout
Man in the dock
The Americans may finally get Viktor Bout. But what will he tell them?
Sep 30th 2010 | BANGKOK


A STREAM of foreigners trickles in, and usually out, of the fetid jails of Bangkok. Rarely is such a big fish seen as Viktor Bout, a former Russian military-intelligence officer turned arms trader, who faces an extradition hearing on October 4th that could send him to New York to stand trial.

Mr Bout’s business was extraordinary and his protectors a mystery. Now his future is the subject of a diplomatic spat. He was lured to Bangkok in 2008 in an American sting operation. Mr Bout insists that he is a legitimate businessman framed by Russia’s enemies. His loyal wife has insisted that he went to Thailand to take a cooking course. The foreign ministry in Moscow says that the extradition could bust the “reset” in Russian-American relations.

How much backing Mr Bout had from Russia, from whom, and when, is unclear. In general, says Simon Taylor of Global Witness, a campaigning group, it “beggars belief” to imagine that Russia’s security apparatus did not know what he was up to. Mr Bout’s old connections certainly helped him build a global empire in the 1990s, trading the surplus armouries of the Soviet empire for cash and minerals.

Critics say he stoked the fires of Africa’s bloodiest civil wars: a British government minister once dubbed him the “merchant of death”. He showed a remarkable ability to dodge UN sanctions and evade investigators. His exploits were loosely portrayed by Nicholas Cage in the film “Lord of War” (Mr Bout took a dim view of this).

America has been on Mr Bout’s case for years. Before the September 2001 terrorist attacks, American agents plotted to snatch him and hand him to the authorities in South Africa or Belgium to face criminal charges, according to the New York Times. But when Washington’s priorities changed, Mr Bout breathed more easily. His planes, some say, ran supplies to American troops in Iraq. How much of this is bravado, how much rumour and how much fact is hard to say. Mark Kramer, a Russia-watcher at Harvard University says that Mr Bout has deliberately fostered “mythology” about his actions.

A trial in America may not illuminate such shadows. Mr Bout may strike a deal with America’s spooks, or with prosecutors, perhaps to expose other countries’ dirty secrets, or to conceal America’s.

So far, even the extradition has proved surprisingly tricky. The Thai government has squirmed under arm-twisting by Russia and America, involving offers of weapon sales and cheap oil. A parliamentarian from the governing party tried to persuade Mr Bout to implicate an exiled former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, in his dealings. Judges have struggled with the political nature of the case. The first verdict in August 2009 went Mr Bout’s way, stunning American officials, who thought they had “home field advantage” in Thailand, says Paul Quaglia, a former CIA officer who is now a security consultant.

Even after the Department of Justice won an appeal on August 20th, Mr Bout has stayed put. His lawyers argued that the court must rule on two other charges filed against him at the behest of American prosecutors who feared a defeat on the conspiracy charge. Eager American officials had already sent a plane to Bangkok’s military airport to collect Mr Bout. After a few days on the tarmac it turned tail for Washington. Mr Bout was moved from a relatively lax remand prison to Bangkok’s more secure central jail. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said the appeal-court verdict was politically motivated.

Some think more legal chicanery may be in store. Mr Bout has slipped out of tight corners before. His cargo business ran on quicksilver changes of aircraft names, registration and ownership, usually one step ahead of investigators, says Alex Vines at Chatham House, a London-based think-tank, who served on UN panels dealing with sanctions in Africa.

Mr Bout’s latest troubles started in March 2008 when he flew to Bangkok to meet Drug Enforcement Administration officials disguised as representatives of Colombia’s FARC guerrillas. He was caught on tape allegedly offering to sell them hundreds of missiles that could shoot down American aircraft, plus other weapons. The indictment alleges that Mr Bout conspired “to kill Americans” and supply arms to a “terrorist organisation”.

Selling missiles to the FARC so they can shoot down American aircraft would seem attractive to hardliners in Russia, even if not to the present Russian government. It also chimes with Russia’s efforts to help Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela, a foe of both America and Colombia.

Mr Bout may be past his prime. Some question his judgment in falling for America’s trickery; greed or boredom do not really explain why he took the bait. Others say that his cargo business thrived during anarchic wars of plunder that have, thankfully, subsided. That at least should be cause for celebration, not regret.

[muskrat]

"A Thai court has ruled to dismiss charges of money laundering and wire fraud against alleged Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout, removing the latest legal obstacle to his long-awaited extradition to the United States."

Not sure if he will be extradited or not now & this aint no get out of jail card as the US has paid big money to get him. Bout claims that the Russians will assasinate him if he goes to the US.

Either way the fat prick must have lost 30 kilo's in the BKK big house.

Youtube News
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=viktor&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&tbs=nws:1,qdr:h&source=lnt&sa=X&ei=tPKqTJW1CIGucLeZlNYE&ved=0CA8QpwU

With Thai commando's today.


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE6940C820101005

M.

[RYP]

He rents russkie pilots and aircraft outta Sharjah. What do you think all those people do over there? Kinda like arresting a storage facility owner. The real question is who is moving that stuff and where are Victor's tail numbers traveling to now?

[thewalrus]

It's not just the Sharjah airport, there's all kinds of sketchy AN-12 flying out of the RAK (Ras al Khaima) airport going to strange 3rd world destinations. You can drive pretty close to the cargo parking area at RAK and see them. It's almost all ex-Soviet bloc cargo planes but you will see all kinds of old stuff that's been kicking around Africa for a long time, cargo converted DC-8, 727-200, 737-200, 707, 747-100, etc...

The tail numbers are frequently Ukrainian, Russian, Moldovan, etc.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=25.61061 ... &t=h&hl=en

[coldharvest]

and where are Victor's tail numbers traveling to now?

I'm pretty sure at least one does the Djibouti to Hargesia run.

[JamesInTheWorld]

He is cool


~JITW

[RYP]

"It's not just the Sharjah airport,"

Miami airport had a commercial side like that in the 80's. You see those planes on African runways too. Hastily painted, no logo 70' airliners with chain smoking sweaty Ukrainian crews. I am sure they are just delivering flowers.

[DrakeS]

A parliamentarian from the governing party tried to persuade Mr Bout to implicate an exiled former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, in his dealings.

Would you believe his own web site

http://www.victorbout.com/Victor_Business.htm

and

thrown into the mix the former PM fingered for being behind extrajudicial killing
??

Newin hints at Thaksin's role in assassination attempts
Tue, Oct 05, 2010
The Nation/Asia News Network




Newin Chidchob dropped a bombshell yesterday, hinting that fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the reported assassination plans against important figures.

"There are a few people in this country who hate me and are angry with me, but there is only one person who can afford to hire somebody to harm me," Newin said without mentioning any name.

Newin was referring to the arrest on Sunday of 11 men suspected of involvement in a move to overthrow Thailand's revered monarchy and planning assassinations.


Newin said he had known about the training of the fighters for over two months and said he was among the assassination targets, the others being Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, and ex-Army chief Anupong Paochinda.

With tears in his eyes, the Bhum Jai Thai Party's de-facto leader begged Thaksin to stop harming Thailand.

"I'd like to implore you to think about the country's peace. If you really love Thailand, please stop and please use other means to make this country peaceful," Newin said.

"You are not living a miserable life abroad but Thai people are now living in difficulty because of what you are doing. So, I beg you to stop what you are doing if you really love Thailand."

Newin referred to the "you" who stayed abroad without mentioning the name. But when reporters asked him to clarify, Newin said "I don't need to explain. There's only person. I'm courageous enough to say that he is my ex-master."

He said Thaksin had announced his readiness to support the reconciliation process but he and his men were acting to the contrary.

Newin was speaking to reporters at his house in Buri Ram, where many provincial governors showed up to celebrate his 52nd birthday.

"I do not want to become a prime minister or take any political posts for the rest of my life. I promise never to return to politics, but I will do anything for the sake of this country," he said.

Meanwhile, Thaksin plans to file a lawsuit against Newin for accusing the ex-PM of being behind assassination attempts, the fugitive's personal legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said.

"Thaksin told me he never wanted to take revenge against Newin. I challenge Newin to show evidence that Thaksin was involved. I'm preparing to file a lawsuit against Newin for defamation," Noppadon said.

[muskrat]

meanwhile in the fashion stakes Victor who is looking suspiciously like a younger RYP, is wearing a matching pair of wrist & leg irons, should be landing in the 'ol US of A right about........

In happier days being jerked off by a Thai prison guard.

M.

[coldharvest]

He's just a simple man of enterprise who was looking to make a few rubles in these turbulent times.
How many peoiple here get out of the Armed Forces and wonder how they're going to make ends meet?

[realrescue3]

You would think with his money and connections he could get out of the Monky House easy enough.

[bbnco]

there's a character in one of web griffin's series of novels that seems based on bout. more interesting than what comes out at the trial(s), is what doesn't ... especially if his lawyers end up bargining down ... wonder who will be representing him ? wonder if he would prefer a long stay in summer camp in the us to a russian extradition ?

[deselby]

You would think with his money and connections he could get out of the Monky House easy enough.

I'm sure the Thai legal proceeding was a battle of the bribes and threats.

USA/DOJ must have done some heavy threatening / bribing to tip the scales against the Russian threatening / bribing, and of course Bout's own work.

Weapons, aid programs, admissions to Harvard for kids, weekends in Vegas vs. sanctions, aid cutoffs, visa denials, etc.

Remember, it's not illegal when the government does it.

[JohnnyFishfinger]

You would think with his money and connections he could get out of the Monky House easy enough.

I'm sure the Thai legal proceeding was a battle of the bribes and threats.

Like

[realrescue3]

Its easy to say it will all come down to National Security of ones country, who he helped
and self interest of classified entities.

Doesnt matter.... in the end its the pull of whomever is involved at the highest level and actually helping him
that will either get him released, extradited or keep him in the Monkey House.

I wont show my cards.....

Wagers anyone?