US: Russian arms dealer now a "federal inmate"

Nov 17, 2010, 18:38 GMT

New York - A United States prosecutor said Wednesday that Russian reputed arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the Merchant of Death, is securely in US custody after he was extradited from Thailand.

'The so-called Merchant of Death is now a federal inmate,' New York US Attorney Preet Bharara said. 'No one is beyond the reach of the law.'

Bout was flown on Tuesday from Thailand to a local airport in New York, closely escorted by US federal agents. He was to be arraigned in a federal court later Wednesday, news reports said. The 43-year- old former Soviet military officer and air cargo executive is to be charged with supporting terrorism and attempt to overthrow the government of Colombia.

US Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday in Washington that Bout was considered 'one of the world's most prolific arms traffickers.'

'Viktor Bout has been indicted in the United States, but his alleged arms trafficking activity and support of armed conflicts in Africa has been a cause of concern around the world,' Holder said. 'His extradition is a victory for the rule of law worldwide.'

The Russian government on Tuesday reacted strongly to Bout's extradition to the United States, calling the move politically motivated. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in remarks to Russian television that Thailand's decision to send Bout to the US was 'an example of glaring injustice.'

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