‘Lord of War’ Being Held Illegally: Lawyer

By AMBIKA AHUJA

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP)—The defense lawyer for a Russian man alleged to be one of the world's biggest arms dealers told a Thai court on Friday that his client had been illegally detained and should be released.

The United States is seeking the extradition of Viktor Bout, who has been indicted in the US on four terrorism-related charges. He was arrested in Thailand in March.

Defense attorney Preecha Prasertsak petitioned the court to dismiss the extradition case, arguing that his client had been illegally detained when he was first arrested.

"His detention was based on a flawed arrest warrant," Preecha said, because the arrest warrant issued two days before Bout was detained at a luxury Bangkok hotel was not dated.

The 41-year-old Russian has been dubbed "The Merchant of Death" by the media, but he denies any involvement in illicit activities. He was purportedly the model for the arms dealer portrayed by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 movie "Lord of War."

According to reports by UN agencies and several Western governments, Bout has delivered arms to dictators and warlords in Africa and Afghanistan, allegedly breaking several UN arms embargoes in the process.

The original arrest warrant issued in Thailand was based on a charge of using the country as a base to negotiate a weapons deal with terrorists. But that charge was dropped in April and a second arrest warrant was issued to ask for his extradition to the US.

Prosecutor Sanchai Krungkanjana argued that the first arrest warrant had been dropped because "there was insufficient evidence in Thailand," but there was enough evidence in the US to approve Bout's extradition and the second warrant.

"We don't see any grounds to prove that it was an illegal detention," Sanchai told The Associated Press after the hearing.

In previous court appearances, Bout's lawyers argued to have the case dismissed on the grounds that their client would not receive a fair trial in the US.

Bout was arrested in Bangkok in a sting operation in which undercover US agents posed as Latin American rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

During an earlier hearing, an agent of the US Drug Enforcement Administration DEA) said the agency set up the operation that lured Bout from Russia to his arrest in the Thai capital.

DEA agent Robert Zachariasiewicz said Bout faces US charges of conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to kill US officers or employees, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile. He could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The next hearing is expected on November 18.