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Narong Sangnak / EPA, file
Russia is furious over a 25-year prison sentence imposed on arms dealer Viktor Bout -- seen inside a cell at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand -- by a court in the U.S.
Moscow on Friday slammed the 25-year prison sentenced imposed on Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout by a U.S. court, saying repatriating the man known as the “Merchant of Death” would be “one of our top priorities in Russian-American relations.”
Bout was caught in an undercover sting in Bangkok in 2008 by U.S. agents posing as Colombian guerrillas seeking weapons and later extradited to New York.
He was convicted on two counts of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and officers of the United States and one count each of conspiracy to sell anti-aircraft missiles and providing material support to a terrorist organization.
The judge said Thursday that sentencing guidelines called for a life sentence, which prosecutors requested, but said the fact that Bout's conduct was a result of a government sting operation was a mitigating factor despite his long history of arms dealing.
Russia 'not seeking revenge'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that he would discuss the sentence with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti news service.
“In this situation we are not seeking revenge, but want to help Viktor Bout. We are not proceeding by a desire to take revenge at any price, but by the desire to enforce the rights of our compatriot. We will actively support the appeal that Bout’s lawyers are going to file and will strive for his repatriation,” he added.
In a statement Russia’s foreign ministry said it would “take whatever action necessary to repatriate Viktor Bout back to his Motherland by any means within international law,” RIA Novosti reported.
“This issue will, without doubt, be one of our top priorities in Russian-American relations," it added.
March 6, 2008: A man the U.S. says is one of the world's biggest arms dealer was arrested in Thailand. MSNBC's Contessa Brewer talks with "Merchant of Death" author Steve Braun.
"In spite of the unreliability of the evidence, the illegal character of his arrest involving the participation of U.S. special service agents in Thailand and the subsequent extradition, American legal officials, having carried out a political order, ignored the arguments of lawyers and numerous appeals from all levels in defense of this Russian citizen," ministry statement said.
"Long before the sentence was given to Bout, the authorities declared him the 'Merchant of Death' and almost an international terrorist, but this accusation was based exclusively on his imputed 'criminal intent,’” it said.
NY judge gives Merchant of Death 25 years
The statement, as quoted by RIA Novosti, alleged that an attempt was made to force Bout to admit he was guilty “by creating unbearable conditions for detention, by both physical and psychological means. The absolutely unacceptable campaign by the American media was aimed at influencing the jury and the judicial process in the 'right direction.'"
Reputed $6 billion fortune
In court for the sentencing hearing Thursday, Bout blurted out “It’s a lie!” as the federal prosecutor argued unsuccessfully for a life sentence.
U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said 25 years was sufficient and appropriate because there was no evidence the 45-year-old Bout would have been charged with seeking to harm Americans if not approached by informants posing as Colombian rebels. The judge also ordered a $15 million forfeiture.
"But for the approach made through this determined sting operation, there is no reason to believe Bout would ever have committed the charged crimes," she said.
For nearly two decades, Bout built a worldwide air cargo operation, amassing a fleet of more than 60 transport planes, hundreds of companies and a fortune reportedly in excess of $6 billion — exploits that were the main inspiration for the Nicholas Cage film "Lord of War."
His aircraft flew from Afghanistan to Angola, carrying everything from raw minerals to gladiolas, drilling equipment to frozen fish.
But, according to authorities, the network's specialty was black market arms — assault rifles, ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles, helicopter gunships and a full range of sophisticated weapons systems, almost always sourced from Russian stocks or from Eastern European factories.
In the months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, U.S., British and United Nations authorities heard growing reports that Bout's planes and maintenance operations, then headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, were aiding the Taliban while it sheltered al-Qaida militants in Afghanistan.
Bout later denied that he worked with the Taliban or al-Qaida — and denied ever participating in black market arms deals.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Maybe he could share a cell with Eric Holder...our arms dealer from the US?
I am sure a deal will be struck with BO and his Russian counterparts and the guy will be sent home and become an instant hero.
Remember Americans, that BO has said to his Russian buddies with the open mic sell out, that once he gets reelected he has plans.
He continues his goal to bring Ameica to her knees and no one sees it.
He'll be fine but will have to wait until after November. As you point out, Obama had whispered to that Russian delegate when he thought the mic was dead that he would be able to make deals with Putin after his re-election once the American people would no longer have control over him. God only knows what else he has in mind then.
I don't mean to make this cowardly socially polite perversion blush-that is on par with denying the existence of concentration camps ingrained in their character-but do you know the original decision maker -that tour apart families and forced them to absorb the slaughter of their own via FBI concealed extraordinary processes had a daughter openly talked about wanting to take it in the ass...
More newsworthy that the existence of extraterrestrials in this comedy show of sorry ass profiteering @!$%#s...
More to come...
what, he got only 25? they should have given him 50!
Fast and Furious...Russian Style
Follow the money. They want him out because he's built a network of contacts ready to do business as usual. This monkeywrenches those efforts or even dissolves many. 'Where's the money' is what this is really all about.
Sarah Palin should have kept a better watch on him from her back porch.
Thats obuttwipe's job. Had we elected her she probably would have gotten the drop on him and blowed his ars away.
Isn't it a paradox.
In Russia, you can be a millionaire or even a billionaire through capitalism and be nearly worshipped.
But, lest you become too notorious or to big for your own britches, Mother Russia will act like a pedantic child.
If you are an oil billionaire She will jail you for the rest of your life. If you are an International Arms dealer willing to sell to any scum on earth and thereby support murder and mayhem....Mother Russia will rush to your defense....wailing about how you were " set up" by those evil US agents and had it not been for their " illegal sting" would have never committed such an offense.
I sincerely hope we become and remain fast friends with Russia, but that our leaders always remember that the Russian bear truly respects only one thing.....strength and the nerve to use it.
russia got some nerve they have providen last 5 years that they can threaten nations if they dont do what they want and when some of their citizens with massive track record like this guy gets arrested they want to help him what about the people he raped killed and weapons to terrorts he sold????? Russia has troops in syria helping syrian govrnment learn how to use road side mines to kill women and children fleeing syria so if russia is this bad and dont care about that then they dont care how many people russians kill because this really shows that its okay if russian citizens kill anyone they want as long they dont get caught if they do then they threaten nation
Simple solution: Keep your criminals in Russia and they won't get arrested in the USA.
Problem solved!
just think obama wants to appease russia so much and this is what russia is evil and they threaten any nation that decides to arrest one of their evil people. Russia mad because they was making money off this guy in first place they got caught. Obama be smart do not appease russia like last time by handing them eastern europe by cancel missle defense just to restart relations with a nation ruled by dictator who hates america anyway. Obama needs learn u cant appease nation that sees us as the enemy
So . . . English is your second or third language?
The world has not changed. The US gets the blame for everything. Yet we are so gullible and trusting. I say, the heck with the rest of the world. Let's get back to the "us" in USA. This guy is nothing but a criminal and cannot be trusted, I don't care how they got him! He's right where he should be, except that now the taxpayers in this country have to foot the bill for his three squares a day, TV, computer and whatever "niceties" he gets in prison. I say deport him back to Russia and if he shows up again somewhere, then just eliminate him -- we did it to Osama Bin Laden, why can't we do it to all of these guys. We should have no use for any of these countries. They are all criminals and cannot be trusted, especially Russia, Iran, No. Korea and China, just to name a few.
[Over] nearly two decades, Bout ***amass[ed] a fleet of more than 60 transport planes, hundreds of companies and a fortune reportedly in excess of $6 billion.
Holy Corruption, Batman! It's the Ruskies--and they're at it again!
Are they in it for a commission of 1/3 ($2 billion) if they spring him?
Don't jump to conclusions. Their motivation may be entirely different--a commission of 50% (3 billion commission) plus the assets of the 30 biggest of his 60 companies. (Actually, that's more than 50% because the companies are part of his $6 billion net worthlessness.)
Who's to complain? He can't use dough and his corporations where he's going.
It's gotta be the cash--not justice, Batman. It sure looks like he has the Ruskies working for HIM.
Robin
PS. Batman: our sources say the US will not (and cannot) interfere with the legal process just because the Ruskies made a big stink. Our friends say The Real Deal is: the Ruskies want to hide out behind a stink-screen--because they can't get it done, and they need an excuse to say tearfully to him through the backdoor: "Oh Bout-skie, Main Man: We tried oh-so hard."
They hope they can bluff their way out so he doesn't use his power and connections to send goons and otherwise take care of them. Our people say if they think a bluff will work, they're wrong. The word is: he'll do anything he can to screw them as the way to force them to do back-flips and pull strings. He's not interested in their intent; he wants results, and he doesn't want to have to wait around for them.
If they can't produce quick--he'll ratchet up the squeeze from his jail cell using his cronies and a bucket of dough -- until it becomes war between Bout-sie and the Kremlin. The Ruskies are scared--of him.
It's true, Batman--the Ruskies got planes and ammo.
So does Bout-skie.
And he knows better than to send them over here. Why? Because he knows only we have the keys to his cell. And we won't view it favorably if we even suspect he's trying any monkey-business over here.
The USA is the world's biggest illicit arms dealer by far. And this Ruskie was looking for a small piece of the action, the Gangsta US gov't couldn't put up with it. Any Goodfella knows that you just don't do this to da Family. We own this f'n planet (or we think we do).
Let the "rage". But they need not worry, I am sure he will be freed soon enough by our "flexible" CIC.
Let's bargain here....give them back this dealer back to Russia but they have to take Obama with him...hey, it's only fair...let's say it this way...Obama was our first black president...he then can go to Russia and be the first Black Russian president....
If being an arms dealer gets you arrested there would be a lot of Americans in jail when you consider US arms sales dwarf the rest of the world. You know someone considers the sale of those US weapons being made to a terrorist group. One mans freedom fighter being another mans terrorist. My guess is it was a way to get rid of a competitor. When did the US govt become the mob?
Interesting story. There are a couple of points they left out though. First,we are the largest arms dealer in the world. Who have supplied arms to some governments and groups,that for evil,match anyone Bout ever supplied arms to. And second,the "Russian Mafia" isn't mostly ethnically Russian. A few of the crooks are,true. But the vast majority of the gangs are Jewish-Russian,and those not,are mostly,Chechen,Georgian,Kurdish,and Armenian Russian.To not understand that,would be like here in the US,thinking that the Italian-American Mafia,Hispanic M13,Jamaican drug gangs,the Chinese-American Tong's,the Irish-American gangs,and the Bloods and Cripps,are WASPS.
Is is very telling, indeed, that Russia wants to repatriot Viktor Bout. If he was just an ordinary citizen, who had been tried in the US legal system and given a 25 year sentence, would Russia be up in arms? (pun intended).
What is so special about Viktor Bout? Why is he important to Russia? Is he a celebrity or a doer of good deeds? The more Russia clammors for his freedom, the more they indict themselves in his nasty business affairs.
BTW, many thanks to Thailand to standing firm with the US on this. They were under a great deal of pressure to resist extraditing Bout to the US.
So how many years did Oliver North and the rest of his buddies get for the Iran Contra deal? Oh yeah i forgot they got a Presidential pardon. I guess it's ok to sell drugs (to your own people) and buy weapons on the Black Market for some insurgents when it's in the best interest of the US but it's not ok if your doing it on your own. Oh i get it now sorry for the confusion.
Russia really thinks we would hand this guy over to them? Selling weapons to cause harm against Americans.
What a joke!
This man is rich, and he's Russian, enought said. There's not a single rich Russian who made his/her money honestly. Russia is the most brazen kleptocracy in the world, and Russians who became rich either did so by illegally acquiring assets during the chaos that was the breakup of the Soviet Union, through the help of corrupt government officials, or by dealing material goods on the black market, sometimes it's a combination of all 3. Seriously, could anyone name a single affluent Russian who hasn't dealt in shady businesses?
If Russia is that anxious to have him released and back - imagine what the man must know.
Really... So when do we convict and imprison the vermin who inhabit our Administration, FBI, CIA, ATF etc.. who have covertly farmed out weapons to undesirables for decades?
Particularly applicable given the cover up and denial of responsibility and accountability for selling arms to the Mexican drug runners of late?
So you got busted for grass too? Pay the ticket, and pass the joint. :))