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reply posted on 10-3-2009 @ 08:38 AM by Logarock
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These guys dont think they are ever going to become a liability or a goat or they just take their chances.
What do they call this in the gang world? Clearing the books? They probably arrested him before he got "cleared" by his own people.
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reply posted on 10-3-2009 @ 03:11 PM by Ownification
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Originally posted by Hellmutt
reply to post by Ownification
Viktor Bout is probably the biggest "non-state" weapons dealer. Not only AK47s for armies of i.e. child soldiers in Africa and Afghanistan, but also
advanced anti-aircraft systems, and even tanks and helicopters. A gigantic amount of weapons. And not only the weapons, but he's also able to deliver
anywhere in the world. An all-in-one service. He made wars possible. Nuclear or radioactive materials too? That would be speculation, but it wouldn't
surprise me. He had access to everything, and there are lots of potentional buyers. If you've seen the interview with Alexander Lebed on 60 Minutes,
you could hear Lebed say that there might be more than 100 suitcase nukes missing from Tiraspol. Where are they now? Viktor Bout's language skills,
contact network, fleet of planes and other resources, made him number one in the business. Not many other arms dealers can compete with that (anyone
at all?). Btw, these weapons didn't just come from Soviet stockpiles, but also as brand new sophisticated weapons from factories in different
countries. I bet those who control these factories make a lot of money too. It will be hard for them to replace a guy like VB.
When you say he made wars possible, one could also argue that he made self defense possible. If America imposes a war on a country, no weapon can go
in and out therefore the only alternative would be this guy. I think he is doing good and bad at the same time.
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reply posted on 10-3-2009 @ 04:43 PM by Hellmutt
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reply to post by Ownification
On some occasions, VB apparently sold weapons to both sides of the conflict (I.e. in Afghanistan and Africa). So I guess the motivation was not to
help them to defend themselves, but to make profit.
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reply posted on 17-3-2009 @ 05:51 AM by Hellmutt
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reply posted on 17-3-2009 @ 05:59 AM by Hellmutt
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Here is a video from RussiaToday.
'Merchant of Death' claims lack of evidence
March 17, 2009
The alleged gunrunner Viktor Bout has been back in court in Thailand for an extradition hearing.
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reply posted on 17-3-2009 @ 09:54 AM by Hellmutt
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VB believe he might go free because he was "unlawfully arrested". What took them so long? They were stalling the process for a year...
ITAR-TASS: Thai court holding hearings in the case "on unlawful arrest" of
Russian citizen Viktor Bout
 17.03.2009
On the issue of unlawful arrest of the Russian the defence insists that “Bout was detained twice in Thailand on one and the same request from the
United States, and as a result - under identical arrest warrants.” The second warrant, according to the lawyers, “was issued by mistake.”
The first warrant was received by the Thai police on March 4, 2008 and executed on March 6. The second document was issued by another judge who did
not know that the first one existed. For the absence of the crime components on the first warrant Viktor Bout was released on April 9 and immediately
arrested again under the second warrant. The defence insists on the annulment of the second warrant. In this case, according to the legislation, the
businessman is to be released at once. Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
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reply posted on 17-3-2009 @ 11:03 PM by Hellmutt
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Viktor's wife testified that he's an honest businessman. And the next hearing is apparently not tomorrow after all, but on April 29.
Bout's Wife Testifies He Is Honest
The extradition hearing had been expected to finish on Wednesday. However, the judge said Tuesday that the final session would instead be on
April 29, and a date for delivering the verdict could be set then. Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
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reply posted on 12-4-2009 @ 10:40 PM by Hellmutt
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reply posted on 29-4-2009 @ 11:45 AM by Hellmutt
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VB in court today
Viktor Bout was in court today. If the last hearings are held on May 19 as planned, the verdict is expected to be passed in early June.
RIA Novosti: Thai court may give ruling in Bout case in June - lawyer - 2
A Thai court may announce its ruling on the extradition of a Russian businessman, accused of conspiring to sell arms to Colombian left-wing
rebels, in early June, a defense lawyer said on Wednesday.
[---]
"I think it is most likely that if the last hearings are held on May 19, the verdict will be passed on June 3-5," Bout's Thai lawyer, Lak
Nitiwatvichan said, commenting on the results of today's court session. Please visit the link provided for the complete story.The court had originally said that Wednesday would be the final day for testimony in the extradition hearing, which started over a year ago. But
the judge adjourned the proceedings until May 19 so another ministry official with legal expertise could answer questions regarding Thailand's
international treaties and whether a Colombian rebel group implicated in the case is considered a terrorist organization by Thailand. Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
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reply posted on 5-5-2009 @ 10:53 PM by Hellmutt
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War Crimes Judges Dismisses Charles Taylor's Acquittal Request
Charles Taylor's request to get the case against him rejected in The Hague was turned down.
BBC: Charles Taylor loses Hague bid
4 May 2009
War crimes judges have rejected a request to acquit Liberia's former President Charles Taylor on charges of crimes against humanity.
Mr Taylor's defence team argued that there was not enough evidence for the trial to proceed.
The decision by the Special Court for Sierra Leone at The Hague means that Mr Taylor, who has pleaded not guilty, must now present his defence.
[---]
The trial is scheduled to continue on 29 June. Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
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reply posted on 14-7-2009 @ 03:57 PM by Hellmutt
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Charles Taylor testified in The Hague today. Taylor said the charges against him were all lies and that he's actually a nice guy...
Taylor Calls War Crimes Charges ‘Lies’
Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, took the stand in his own defense at The Hague on Tuesday and immediately denied a catalog of
horrifying charges based on testimony by prosecution witnesses telling stories of violence, rape, amputation and even cannibalism.
[---]
The defense lawyer began: “Mr. Witness, can I ask you, can you read and write English?” Mr. Mansary listened to the translation, and then he held
up his two stumps. “I have no hands to write anything,” he said.
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reply posted on 27-7-2009 @ 02:30 PM by Hellmutt
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Viktor Bout
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Thailand has promised to handle the extradition case objectively and without politicizing
the situation.
Thailand vows objective hearing for Russian arms dealer - Lavrov
BANGKOK, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - The Thai authorities have promised to handle the extradition case of arms dealer Viktor Bout objectively and
without politicizing the situation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
Oh btw, Mogilevich was released on Friday...
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reply posted on 11-8-2009 @ 04:04 PM by Hellmutt
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Viktor Bout Free To Go
Thai court has decided that Viktor Bout is not to be extradited to the US after all. The US has 72 to appeal the decision. After that, VB will be free
to go.
Thailand rejects US plea to extradite Russian arms
dealer
A US request to extradite the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout to face terrorism charges was rejected by a Thai court today.
[---]
The US said it was "disappointed and mystified" by today's ruling. It has 72 hours to appeal against the ruling, during which time Bout will remain
in detention. If the US does not appeal, he will be set free.
When I heard that Mogilevich was out of jail, I suspected that this would happen...
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reply posted on 11-8-2009 @ 06:27 PM by Hellmutt
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From Douglas Farah's blog:
Douglas Farah: Why the Merchant of Death May Not Stand
Trial
Aug 11
Today, a Thai court ruled against extraditing notorious Russian weapons trafficker Viktor Bout to the United States — a setback for the American
legal system and a bad portent not just for U.S.-Thai relations, but also for relations between the United States and Russia.
[---]
Rep. Ed Royce, a California Republican who has led the congressional effort to hold Bout accountable for his actions, stated: “If this ruling holds,
this [U.S.-Thai] relationship will be set back dramatically.”
“While the Thai Foreign Ministry has stated that the extradition request meets the conditions of the Thai-American extradition treaty, the Russian
government has been pushing hard for Bout’s release,” Royce continued. “Politics seems to have trumped the law. Something is rotten in
Bangkok.”
Something is rotten indeed.
Click the link to read the whole thing.
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reply posted on 11-8-2009 @ 07:27 PM by Hellmutt
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RussiaToday: Bout avoids extradition to US, to be freed
soon
He is accused of supplying weapons to just about every military conflict in the world since the 1980s, from Columbia to Iraq.
With accusations of this scale, Bout would have faced a life in prison, had he been tried in the US.
The New York Times: Thai Ruling on Suspected Arms Dealer Shocks U.S.
A Thai court stunned American officials here on Tuesday by rejecting the extradition of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman who is accused of
global arms trafficking.
CNN: Thai court rejects U.S. extradition request for 'Merchant of
Death'
In rejecting the extradition request, the court said the case of Viktor Bout was politically motivated. U.S. authorities have 72 hours to decide
whether to appeal. In the absence of an appeal, Bout will walk out of jail a free man.
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reply posted on 13-8-2009 @ 03:34 PM by Hellmutt
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Bout to stay in jail after all
Viktor Bout will not be released yet. Procecutors appealed...
Bout to Stay in Jail as Prosecutors Appeal
Thai prosecutors announced Thursday that they plan to challenge a lower court ruling that rejected a U.S. request to extradite suspected Russian
arms dealer Viktor Bout.
That means Bout, 42, dubbed the “Merchant of Death” for allegedly shipping arms that have fueled conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Latin
America, will spend several more months in a Thai jail pending the appeal. He had hoped for release as early as Friday.
[---]
“The prosecutor has filed its intention to appeal the case as requested by the U.S. officials,” said Sirisak Tiyatan, the director general of the
attorney general’s foreign division. The appeal must be filed within 30 days.
[---]
Bout’s lawyer Lak Nitiwatanavichan said he was confident the rejection would be upheld on appeal and his client eventually freed.
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reply posted on 26-8-2009 @ 05:26 PM by Hellmutt
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An An-12 cargo plane (registration: TN-AIA) crashed in a cemetary in Congo today. There were also two Moldovans and two Ukrainians on board. One of
Viktor Bout's planes?
RIA Novosti: Cargo plane crashes near Congolese capital, six dead
"According to new information, six people died. Two citizens of Congo, who were escorting the cargo, and the crew of four - two Ukrainians and
two Moldovans," Sokolov said.
Crash: Aero-Fret AN12 at Nganga Lingolo on Aug 26th 2009, impacted ground in a
cemetery
An Aero-Fret Business Antonov AN-12 freighter, registration TN-AIA performing a freight flight from Pointe Noire to Brazzaville (Congo) with 5
crew and 1 passenger on board, was on approach to Brazzaville, when the airplane impacted ground about 8nm (15km) southwest of Brazzaville within the
cemetery of the village of Nganga Lingolo slightly right of the extended centerline ahead of Brazzaville's runway 05 at around 7am local (06:00Z).
All 6 people on board perished in the crash.
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reply posted on 20-10-2009 @ 10:47 PM by Hellmutt
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reply posted on 21-10-2009 @ 06:31 PM by Hellmutt
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Btw, the "scientists" mentioned in my previous post, are:
(quoting from the same article)
the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), a Washington-based group founded in 1945 by scientists who developed the world's first atomic
bombs.
Obama is going to Thailand next month. He will apparently put pressure on Thailand to extradite VB.
Obama to press Thais on 'Merchant of Death': official
October 21, 2009
US President Barack Obama on his Asia trip next month will press Thailand to extradite Viktor Bout, the alleged Russian arms dealer nicknamed the
"Merchant of Death," a US official said Wednesday.
[---]
Kurt Campbell, the assistant US secretary of state for East Asia, said that US officials including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have raised the
case in every meeting with Thailand.
"We are pressing it as hard as we possibly can," Campbell testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
[---]
"If he gets out, it's going to be bloody carnage somewhere in the world," Royce said
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reply posted on 1-11-2009 @ 11:21 PM by Hellmutt
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Arm-twisting
Russia is mad over US' pressure on Thailand to extradite Viktor Bout.
UPI: Russia slams U.S. on extradition
Oct. 29, 2009
Arm-twisting by the United States to convince Thailand to extradite a Russian arms dealer is "unacceptable," the Foreign Ministry said
Thursday.
RIA Novosti: Russia blasts reported U.S. pressure for Thais to extradite Bout
29/10/2009
Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said that some Thai and foreign media outlets recently published reports that the United States was pressuring
the Thai executive and judicial bodies in an attempt to extradite Bout, currently in prison in Thailand.
"We [Russia] consider such acts, which are of an illegal nature, unacceptable and incompatible with a fair trial for Bout," Nesterenko said
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