'Merchant of Death' arrested in Bangkok

**chinthee** · 11-03-2008, 12:08 PM

Thai court denies bail to Russian 'Merchant of Death'

16 minutes ago BANGKOK (AFP) - A Thai court on Tuesday denied bail to Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, worried the man known as the "Merchant of Death" for his alleged ties to the criminal underworld would leave the country.

Thai court denies bail to Russian 'Merchant of Death' - Yahoo! News
Not so fast Lord Death...

bkkmadness · 11-03-2008, 12:33 PM

Be interesting to see what happens to him. I read that even when the US wasn't allowing him into the country he was flown over there twice to meet with the FBI and CIA.

Viktor Bout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In addition to his services as an arms dealer and importer/exporter of weapons and ammunition, Viktor Bout has allegedly offered some sort of private military assistance to the Afghan Northern Alliance and United States in those countries' on-going war on terrorism. According to journalists Stephen Braun and Douglas Farah, Bout approached the American intelligence community (specifically the FBI, possibly the CIA as well) sometime after the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center with a contract of services to help combat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.[26] While the American agencies have not disclosed their final decision on the matter, documentation has been obtained by Braun and Farah which indicated that these agencies were interested enough to allow Bout to fly to the United States on at least two occasions for face-to-face discussions of his sales pitch. (It is important to note that trips of this nature would have required a temporary waiver of his American travel ban, evidence of which Braun and Farah also claim to have obtained.)

A guy this connected and with such an obvious intelligence might be holding onto a few bargaining chips yet.

**chinthee** · 11-03-2008, 12:40 PM

^Excellent point BKK. It reminds me of Adnan Khoshoggi, who was a prominent global Arms dealer before he went legit and started investing in all sort of Real Estate in building up local communities in the US, and everybody loved him, thought he was a beneficent Sheik.

This Ruskkie has a lot of bargaining chips before he goes down. Wouldn't surprise me if the CIA spring him in a deal - his freedom in exchange for information. He goes off and buys a private island with heavy security.

bkkmadness · 11-03-2008, 12:47 PM

I can't imagine a guy this smart had no back up plan for when he inevitably got caught. I agree with you Chinthee, good chance of an exchange of info/services for his freedom.

**lom** · 11-03-2008, 01:19 PM

I don't understand what they are gonna charge him with.

Trying to sell arms to 3 DEA undercover agents who claimed they were acting on behalf o FARC?
And what when he tells them that he never intended to deliver anything, only cheat the money off them?

Setup stings like this is unlawful, no matter what he is guilty of, and is as far as I know only allowed in the US.

**Blake7** · 11-03-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

^ As a Russian citizen, I would think Russia has precedence in his deportion (?). In which case he'll get off light.

Hopefully they won't want him.

On the contrary I am certain that the Russians will do all they can to get him back on to Russian soil.
For one they (the GRU) have been protecting/supporting him all these years and secondly they fear he knows too mnay secrets...

**chinthee** · 11-03-2008, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Blake7

Originally Posted by sabang

^ As a Russian citizen, I would think Russia has precedence in his deportion (?). In which case he'll get off light.

Hopefully they won't want him.

On the contrary I am certain that the Russians will do all they can to get him back on to Russian soil.
For one they (the GRU) have been protecting/supporting him all these years and secondly they fear he knows too mnay secrets...

I suspect the deal will go down something like this:

The US will demand key information in exchange for letting him be extradited to Russia. Thailand will get something out of the deal for cooperating, probably in the form of some fighter jets or something. Russia has to be careful he doesn't talk too much because it could implicate their military industrial security and show holes in it, so it is in their interests to give America what it wants to know so long as it is not about anything in Russia.

Everybody's happy. Thais get some new toys, the US gets key info to go rub somebody out, Russia protects its corrupted military industrial industry from being exposed....

**dirtydog** · 11-03-2008, 02:45 PM

Suspected Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, has been denied bail in Thailand and one of his alleged partners, Briton Andrew Smulian, has been arrested in New York. The U.S. claim the pair sold thousands of weapons to Colombian terrorists.

YouTube - 'Merchant of Death' denied bail in Bangkok

**good2bhappy** · 11-03-2008, 02:57 PM

? Breaking news "Merchant of death out on bail, last seen driving to the Burmese border"

**dirtydog** · 11-03-2008, 04:02 PM

"Merchant of Death" associate arrested, held in NY

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A British associate of alleged Russian "Merchant of Death" Viktor Bout charged with aiding terrorism was ordered detained in New York on Monday.

Andrew Smulian, 46, was charged last week in New York along with Bout of arranging to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Smulian appeared in Magistrates Court in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday and was ordered held in custody. He did not make an application for bail and did not enter a plea to one count of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors said he was arrested in New York on Friday. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Bout, an international arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death," and Smulian conspired to sell the FARC weapons that included surface-to-air missile systems and armor-piercing rocket launchers, between November 2007 and last month, U.S. authorities charged.

The U.S. is seeking Bout's extradition from Thailand, where he was arrested last week in a U.S. sting operation.

Smulian's next hearing will be held March 24.

The FARC are fighting a 4-decade-old insurgency against the Colombian government and are designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Philip Barbara)

Merchant of Death associate arrested, held in NY | International | Reuters

**dirtydog** · 12-03-2008, 07:54 PM

Investigators gather more evidence against Bout

(BangkokPost.com) - Police investigators prepared to gather more evidence to convict Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was arrested in Bangkok last week, before passing the case to prosecutors.

They will also cooperate with the Russian police to try to freeze Bout's assets.

The moves came after police held a meeting on Monday on how to proceed with the case.

The 41-year-old former Russian major has been charged with conspiring for attempting to smuggle missiles and rocket launchers to leftist rebels in Colombia.

**Driventowin** · 12-03-2008, 11:24 PM

Anyone know how I can pass this guy my ATM number?? Before they freeze his assets, I would a thought that had been done already, almost simultaneously when they arrested him

... I mean Toxin shouldn't be the only one allowed to keep his billions, I'd only charge him 1 percent interest too..

**dirtydog** · 12-03-2008, 11:49 PM

The Thai police don't have a case I would have thought, they are just looking for some dosh, doubt Viktor would have kept a great amount in non interest bearing Thai bank accounts, the Thais are foked so they got to find some money another way.

**Driventowin** · 12-03-2008, 11:55 PM

I don't need a Thai account for him to pass some on.. I'll take it from his Macau or Singaporean account don't matter to me..

**sabang** · 13-03-2008, 12:29 AM

Good old Viktor is a Pawn anyway, just a freckle on the arse of the worlds biggest arms dealers- the US & UK governments.

When he sells to illicit organisations they favour, he is a businessman and a freedom fighter. When he sells to illicit organisations they don't, he is a criminal and aiding and abetting terrorism. When the organisation we like (Taliban and AQ) becomes the organisation we don't like (Taliban and AQ), who knows where he stands?

There will be no fair and open trial- he knows too much, much too much. Many of those arms were supplied him with the full knowledge of the Yanks and Brits, the Russians for sure and prolly the Israeli's. His 'Trial' will either be behind closed doors (illegal), assassination or he will walk.

We live in a hypocritical, hypochondriac world.

**dirtydog** · 13-03-2008, 01:11 AM

Just after the Falklands war we were offered browning Hi Powers, with 100 rounds of 9mm for 70 quid a set, quite a bargain, the British soldiers were bringing them back in there kit bags, basically we could have had as many as we wanted.

**Tao** · 13-03-2008, 03:57 AM

^ How many did you buy then?

**dirtydog** · 13-03-2008, 09:01 PM

Defending the 'Merchant of Death'
WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

Lawyer Lak Nitiwatanavichan has come under the spotlight after being appointed to defend "Merchant of Death" Viktor Bout in a Thai court.

But Mr Lak is no stranger to high-profile litigation cases.

Although he is approaching 70, his impressive track record and command of the Russian language made him the first person a government official in Moscow would call to get to represent Mr Bout after the alleged international arms dealer was caught in Silom last Thursday.

Mr Lak graduated from Class 01 of Thammasat University's law faculty. His classmates there included former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, former National Legislative Assembly speaker Meechai Ruchupan and Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

He completed a Master's degree in Political Science from the same university and now runs his own law firm, Lak and Associates.

He cited the historic royal decorations fraud case as his greatest achievement. Samai Kajut, whom he represented, was the only one of 16 defendants to be cleared.

The case involved a conspiracy to falsify letters in the name of the Royal Ceremonial Affairs Division, sending them to well-known people seeking donations in exchange for royal decorations from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The trial began in late 1987 and concluded in 2005 as more than 100 witnesses were involved.

"I liked the case for the way innocent people were framed by the corrupt. I took the case knowing my client was innocent," he said.

"I am now handling about 20 cases for Russian clients, mostly involving officials' misconduct, such as illegal arrests or illegal prosecutions," he said.

Asked why he accepted Mr Bout's case, he said: "It is just business and will not cause any damage."
He said he trusts the court will be fair and just and that the evidence will allow Mr Bout to walk free.

Bangkok Post

**dirtydog** · 14-03-2008, 01:50 AM

The trial location for Viktor Bout, the Russian dubbed the 'Merchant of Death', is still up in the air, with suggestions that the U.S. has sent an official to Thailand to push for his extradition. Bout is being held in Thailand where he's accused of supplying military equipment to terrorists

YouTube - U.S. pushes for "Merchant of Death" extradition

**Bluecat** · 14-03-2008, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by Blake7

For one they (the GRU) have been protecting/supporting him all these years and secondly they fear he knows too many secrets...

Not that much of a secret that what he's selling is coming from the Russian army...

**madjbs** · 14-03-2008, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

Good old Viktor is a Pawn anyway, just a freckle on the arse of the worlds biggest arms dealers- the US & UK governments.

When he sells to illicit organisations they favour, he is a businessman and a freedom fighter. When he sells to illicit organisations they don't, he is a criminal and aiding and abetting terrorism......

We live in a hypocritical, hypochondriac world.

Great post sabang, exactly how it is..... I can't green you again yet unfortunately

**dirtydog** · 17-03-2008, 07:28 PM

Bout 'resisted expulsion to US'

Thai authorities tried to force Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to get on a plane to the United States hours after his arrest in Bangkok earlier this month, the legal counsel for the alleged "Lord of War" claimed on Monday.

Bout, dubbed the "Merchant of Death" by his detractors, was arrested in Bangkok on March 6 in a US-led sting operation that allegedly caught him making a deal with Colombian rebels.

On March 7, Thai police said Bout, 41, would remain in the kingdom to face possible charges of committing illegal activities in the country. If Thai courts turn down the case, Bout faces extradition to the US.

But Bout's Russian lawyer Dasgupta Yan on Monday told a press conference in Bangkok that Thai authorities had tried to force his client to board a plane to the US immediately after his arrest. He said US officials were also present at the time.
"Some government officials at the moment of his detention tried to send him to the United States without proper extradition procedures," said Yan, of the Gridnav & Partners law firm.

"They told my client you need to take an aircraft to the United States, they want to talk to you there. But my client was saying I'm not ready to go, because I don't understand why I'm arrested and secondly I didn't have any plans to go to the United States," said Yan.

In the US, Bout faces charges of attempting to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which is designated a terrorist organization in the United States, according to the US Justice Department.

Bout was arrested in a posh Bangkok hotel while "discussing business" with five other Russian nationals and one British national.

Bout's partner Andrew Smulian was also present at the meeting but whether he too was arrested in Thailand remains a mystery. Smulian showed up in New York a few days after Bout's Bangkok arrest. He is now in US custody.

"We don't really understand what happened to Smulian, it might be that he was eager to get arrested. It's quite strange," said Bout's lawyer, who acknowledged that Smulian may be preparing to testify against his client.

On Wednesday, Bout's 12-day detention period at a Bangkok maximum security prison will expire, after which Thai prosecutors will need to request another 12-day extension or else press charges against him.

"We hope that no violation of Thai law and international norms are going to be committed by officials in relation with out client," said Yan.

Yan denied press reports that the Russian government wanted Bout extradited to Moscow.
"Mr Bout in Russia is considered to be a law-obedient citizen. We don't have a single criminal case against Mr Bout, his companies or his business. Nothing," said Yan.

Starting his career as an officer in the Soviet army, Bout later became one of the most notorious arms' dealers in the world, accused of selling weapons to the Taliban in Afghanistan and to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Bout has denied the past charges.

Bout and Smulian face up to 15 years in prison on US charges of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The 41-year-old former Russian major was the subject of the book Merchant of Death by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun, published last year.

Some say he was the inspiration for the 2005 film Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage as an arms dealer named Yuri Orlov. According to the director, a key scene in the film used an Antonov AN-12 aircraft rented from Bout and his Skylink airline, one of more than a dozen the arms trafficker maintained. (dpa, BangkokPost.com)

**dirtydog** · 17-03-2008, 08:36 PM

Dasgupta Yan, lawyer of suspected Russian arms trafficker Victor Bout shows an extradition act in a press conference in Bangkok on Monday. He claimed Thai agenciestried to force Viktor Bout, to get on a plane to the United States hours after his arrest in Bangkok.

The Nation

**Texpat** · 17-03-2008, 09:03 PM

Why send him to the US?
Thai courts and police and back-room interrogators are under far less pressure and can do an unencumbered, uncriticised, unemotional thorough job of getting down to brass tacks. Better yet, send him to the Philippines.

**dirtydog** · 19-03-2008, 06:59 PM

'Merchant of Death' to stay in jail

A Thai court has extended the term suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout can be held in jail without charge by another 12 days. Thai authorities have received an official request from the U.S. for Bout's extradition, but they say this could only be considered once they've completed their own investigation.

YouTube - 'Merchant of Death' to stay in jail

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