Judge Lets Charges Stand in Arms Trafficking Case (Viktor Bout)

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

A federal judge in Manhattan refused on Tuesday to dismiss charges against Viktor Bout, a reputed arms trafficker whose lawyer had argued that his client’s extradition from Thailand was a result of improper political pressure by the United States.

Mr. Bout, a former Soviet Air Force officer, is charged with conspiracy to kill Americans and to provide material support to a Colombian terrorist group, as well as other counts. He faces trial in October.

His arrest in Bangkok in 2008 came after he had been ensnared in an American government sting operation in which, prosecutors say, he agreed to sell surface-to-air missiles, AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons to informers for the Drug Enforcement Administration who were posing as members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Mr. Bout’s lawyer, Albert Y. Dayan, argued that leaked diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks showed that for more than a year United States officials had put “extreme political pressure” on the Thai government for his extradition. As a result, Mr. Dayan said, a Thai appeals court reversed a lower court decision and ordered the extradition. Mr. Bout had been denied an “unbiased” hearing, in violation of his rights, Mr. Dayan said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/nyregion/viktor-bout-is-refused-dismissal-of-arms-trafficking-charges.html

[seafan]

1. The wheels of justice grind slowly.....

Thai police take Viktor Bout for questioning. Photograph: AP
6 March 2008 16.32 GMT


Guardian, 6 March 2008 16.32 GMT

CNN International, March 7, 2008



Judge Lets Charges Stand in Arms Trafficking Case, NYT, August 2, 2011

[msanthrope]

2. Bout really thought Wikileaks would help?

Maybe Assange can pass a hat. Otherwise, I think Mr. Bout is FARCed.