Viktor Bout: Thailand Extradites Russian Suspect to U.S.

Category Asia, World | Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Viktor Bout

The United States won a protracted battle with Moscow for custody of alleged Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout on Tuesday when Thailand extradited him to face terrorism charges in the U.S.

The Thai Cabinet approved the extradition Tuesday morning after over two years of legal wrangling. Soon after, Mr. Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, was escorted to a U.S. aircraft and departed Bangkok at around 1:30 p.m. local time. Mr. Bout’s wife, Alla Bout, said in an interview with Russia’s NTV television network that the extradition was “a political decision” that “has no legal basis whatsoever.”

The Obama administration and members of Congress have lobbied Thailand to send Mr. Bout, 43 years old, to the U.S. on charges of using his air-transport business to supply weapons to conflict zones in Africa, the Middle East and South America. Critics have called him the “Merchant of Death” and he was rumored to have been the inspiration for the Hollywood movie “Lord of War.” Suspected clients included Liberia’s Charles Taylor and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Keyword: Air Transport, Charles Taylor, Extradition, Legal Basis, Libyan Leader, Lord Of War, Members Of Congress, Merchant Of Death, Moammar Gadhafi, Ntv Television, Political Decision, Russian Arms, Soviet Air Force, Television Network, Terrorism Charges, Thai Cabinet, Thailand, Trafficker, Transport Business, Tuesday Morning, Viktor Bout

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