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Home Front: WoT

U.S. indicts Viktor Bout

2008-03-07

More from yesterday's story ...

An alleged international arms dealer has been charged with conspiracy to provide weapons to a foreign terrorist organization, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Viktor Bout, arrested Wednesday in Bangkok, was charged with conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons -- including surface-to-air missiles -- to Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC, a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The indictment alleges that Bout and associate Andrew Smulian agreed to sell to FARC millions of dollars worth of weapons. During recorded telephone calls and e-mails, Bout and Smulian agreed to sell the weapons to two confidential sources working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who presented themselves as FARC representatives.

The U.S. plans to pursue the extradition of Bout from Thailand, the department said. "Viktor Bout and Andrew Smulian agreed to arm terrorists with high-powered weapons that have fueled some of the most violent conflicts in recent memory," said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia.

Michele M. Leonhart, acting DEA administrator, said Bout's arrest resulted from DEA working with his partner. "This arms trafficker was poised to arm a narco-terrorist organization, but he now faces justice in the United States," Leonhart said.

Posted by:Fred

#13 Though there is an insurgency in Southern Thailand, almost all of their weaponry has been captured.

Could that be why 80 Southern Thai insurgents just surrendered?

Posted by: trailing wife 2008-03-07 23:09

#12 He's gonna like it in Colorado, he may even get a window in his cell. Of course it will be on the ceiling I'm told.

Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-03-07 16:35

#11 "disco volante"

Paging Blofeld, pick up the courtesy phone.

Posted by: flash91 2008-03-07 16:01

#10 From the
Counterterrorism Blog

But Bout's arrest in Thailand begs the question: what was he doing there?

Bout has armed insurgencies in the region in the past, in particular in the Philippines. There is more to suggest that Bout was in the region not to arm insurgents, but to negotiate the purchase of arms. Though there is an insurgency in Southern Thailand, almost all of their weaponry has been captured.

Thai authorities announced that they will hold a press conference on Friday on the details of Bout's arrest. They have revealed little information other than the fact that he had recently landed in Thailand, though had been in the region for a period of time and that they had been tracking him.

That he was arrested on a DEA tipoff suggests that he may have been involved in narcotics, metamphetimines or heroin from Burma, serious concerns for both the Americans and Thais.

If he was shopping for arms, my educated hunch is he was buying surplus Chinese weapons from the Burmese junta. They have enormous stockpiles of weapons provided by China and need the cash.

Bout used to buy up the huge cache of weaponry (mainly Chinese) at the border market between Thailand and Cambodia, but his consignment-amount of weapons aren't so available there anymore.

Bout may also have been in either Burma or Cambodia to illegally purchase end-user certificates which would allow him to purchase large amounts of weaponry illegally.

One could also not rule out a meeting with North Korean arms dealers. North Korean operatives are active in Southeast Asia, where they purvey everything from weapons, to metamphetimines, to "Super Notes" (high-quality counterfeit U.S. dollars).

The Koreans have a history of selling end-user certificates to unsavory figures. A few years ago they sold the Tamil Tigers end-user certificates that allowed them to purchase a large consignment of weapons from NORINCO.

Thailand is the regional transit hub, and it has a long history of being a center of narcotics trade and document forging. But since 9/11 the government has upgraded its intelligence capabilities as well as its border security.

Bout was not the first big fish to be arrested there. These investments are paying dividends.

Posted by: Sherry 2008-03-07 13:38

#9 Draw and quarter him.

Posted by: DarthVader 2008-03-07 13:16

#8 ABC News said last night he would fly into some hell hole with a plane load of weapons and then fly out with a plane load of drugs. Prison's too good for him. He looks like the kind of guy who would enjoy it. How about a polonium cocktail, comrade? Then you can tell us what we wanna know if you want us to put you out of your misery.

Posted by: Abu Uluque (aka Ebbang Uluque6305) 2008-03-07 12:34

#7 Now I know where all of Mo Dahlan's old suits went...

Posted by: tu3031 2008-03-07 12:05

#6 I bet the underground arm's world is talking and someone will take his place.

A protege perhaps of the "Prince of Marbella" [Monzer al-Kassar]. I'd first look in the Spanish cell he's supposed to be locked up in, since June 8, 2007.

Monzer al-Kassar waz an old asshole buddy of the dead Hafez Assad #1.

****************************
Victor Bout would sell leaking WMD arty rounds to his grandmother and work for the United States and sell al-Qaeda Nukes/weapons. Africa waz one of his favorite stomping grounds.

*The kind of guy the World's spy agencies love to keep tabs on and "work" with. [comment welcomed]*

Viktor Bout, Russian arms dealer: Liberals were thrilled when it waz discovered that we hired his Company's [Irbis] fleet of 60 + - Air Cargo haulers from the huge Ilyushin 76 down to rugged Soviet cargo/puddle jumpers to supply the build up in Iraq, while other agencies of our gubmint were looking to arrest him.

Became one of liberals favorite whipping boys when going after VP Dick Cheney and Prez. Bush.

*Yuri Orlov*, Nicolas Cage's character in the 2005 film Lord of War is said to be partially based on Viktor Bout.

pic

Victor Bout: Raconteur, Whipping Boy and Clothes Horse

Posted by: RD 2008-03-07 12:02

#5 Did they get the Disco Volante too?

Posted by: mojo 2008-03-07 11:19

#4 I bet the underground arm's world is talking and someone will take his place.

Posted by: Varmint Greath8559 2008-03-07 09:25

#3 They should waterboard this SOB.

Posted by: doc 2008-03-07 08:24

#2 Just make sure that its in barrels of oil rather than Fed devalued dollars.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-03-07 07:44

#1 Putin will post bail for his old KGB pal.

Posted by: Besoeker 2008-03-07 00:53

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