Viktor Bout, Arms Dealer, In Thai Court

Viktor Bout, an international arms dealer and one of the US's most-wanted criminals, will appear in a Thai court today and faces extradition to the United States.

Viktor Bout, known as the Merchant of Death, has long served as a weapons dealer to terrorist and fringe organizations across the globe. American sources believe he has done business with groups in South America, Africa and the Middle East, selling such items as guns, surface-to-air missiles, and even military helicopters and aircrafts.

If Bout is extradited to the United States, he will face life in prison for charges including conspiracy to kill US citizens and providing material support to terrorists. Viktor Bout is originally from Russia and once served on the Soviet Air Force.

Bout was apprehended in Thailand after a year-long sting operation in which American forces posing as members of Colombia's FARC rebels bought guns and missiles from him. The Thai court hearings will continue for a few more weeks before a judge decides if he will be extradited to the United States.

Bout's life of arms-trafficking was the plot for the 2005 movie "Lord of War." 

Source: The Guardian

Here is a story about arms dealers facing a Nepalese court earlier this year.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

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