Prosecutors hamstrung over Bout | Bangkok Post: news

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Prosecutors hamstrung over Bout

Only court can decide to drop new charges

Thai prosecutors say they can give no assurances to the US about whether they can drop charges against suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout before he appears in court on Oct 4 on new charges.

Sirisak Tiyaphan, head of international affairs at the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), yesterday said officials were working on the US request to have the six new charges withdrawn so Mr Bout can be extradited to the US, but a number of issues needed to be thrashed out first.

The fresh charges were brought against Mr Bout right after the Court of Appeal ruled on Aug 20 to extradite him to the US where he is expected to face charges including conspiracy to kill US nationals and to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organisation.

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  • AC Robertson

    Discussion 8 : 02/09/2010 at 08:57 AM8

    The Russian mafia is alive and well in BKK and Southern Thailand. Many Thai politicians receive their tea money for not seeing their criminal activities.

    My Bout will either have a accident or become misplaced, prior to his release or extradition.

    Just like the Russian conductor, that has dropped from the public eye.

  • Mack

    Discussion 7 : 02/09/2010 at 07:55 AM7

    Hey Vic,

    Conair is waiting for you. Club Fed in the US beats Bang Kwang any day of the week, ggod food, TV and Internet, libraries, cconjugal Visits which means Visa's for your wife and daughter and the possibility of getting off scot free and being Paid for it for info to the US Gov and maybe even a job as a 009 Counter Spy. The USA still has a lot of fair and good to it, Think twice about it, you should ask to be extradited and make a deal? The CIA needs you Russians......
    Thailand will just make a political deal out of you and you will be left and forgotten for 30 yrs in the "Dark Room". Can any Expats out there tell us what the "Dark Room is?

  • JWJ

    Discussion 6 : 02/09/2010 at 07:43 AM6

    The Thais will hand over Victor Bout soon after the Saudi Gem robbery has been solved.

  • Somboon

    Discussion 5 : 02/09/2010 at 07:39 AM5

    The CIA/Us is the biggest arms dealer in the World and has been doing the most covert/clandestine actions around the globe in the name of democracy.

    Who do you has been killing innocent people the most?

    Military exercises? That is peanut. Aid? $90 millions and it is another peanut. May be the US could ask Jimmy Carter to send more peanuts.

  • observer

    Discussion 4 : 02/09/2010 at 07:38 AM4

    @MadeinAmerica; Disc #1
    It is people like you who give testimony to the world why Thailand must not get weak under the pressure of the world's biggest bully: the USA. The USA secret services must remove competition so they can hold the title of biggest illegal arms dealers in the world. However until convicted in a fair process in an appropriate court of law Viktor Bout is deemed innocent. Either the process is proceeding strictly according to Thai law ignoring any bully approaches by the Americans or Thailand should let Viktor go home to Russia and the let the USA try to get him from Russia.

  • ethanallen

    Discussion 3 : 02/09/2010 at 06:54 AM3

    Mr. Bout is charged with conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization. How surprising that Mr. Bout's lawyer does not object to his client being extradited to a country known for torture and extrajudicial murder of low level terrorist suspects. What horrors await Mr. Bout in this lawless environment?

  • bill

    Discussion 2 : 02/09/2010 at 06:37 AM2

    Agree with discussion 1. The USA give tons of money to Thailand thru USAID. We are much better to shift our focus to Malaysia and Vietnam as Obama seems to be doing.

  • MadeinAmerica

    Discussion 1 : 02/09/2010 at 04:34 AM1

    Simple enough. As Thailand is obviously bowing to Russian pressure to avoid extraditing one of the World's best known illegal arms dealers, simple cancel all military exercises and support for Thailand.

    Let the Thai go it on their own as that is their wish. We have more urgent needs for our money than to give them to Thailand.

    Stop foreign aid to Thailand now!

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