Monday, October 4, 2010

Bout back in Thai court

04 Oct, 2010

BANGKOK - ALLEGED Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called 'Merchant of Death', was to appear in a Thai court again on Monday in the next legal hurdle of his protracted US extradition case.

Bout, wanted on terrorism charges by the United States, was expected to be flown out in August after an appeals court ruling, but the process, which has forced Thailand into a delicate balancing act, faced a last-minute hold-up.

New charges of money-laundering and fraud - introduced by American prosecutors earlier this year in an apparent attempt to aid the extradition case - have to be dealt with before he can be expelled from Thailand.

Thai prosecutors believe the court on Monday will allow the charges to be dropped, theoretically opening the door for Bout to be handed over to a frustrated Washington.

'To my understanding, it is likely that the court will allow the second charges to be withdrawn, there is no obstacle,' said Sirisak Tiyapan, director of International Affairs at the Attorney General's Office. The speed of any extradition after that would depend on the readiness of other state agencies, he added.

Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva could have the final say however, with recent reports suggesting that the decision over whether to extradite Bout was his as head of state. 'In accordance with the law, ultimately the executive has the power to decide, but I would rather wait for the court ruling,' Mr Abhisit told reporters on Thursday, further muddying the waters. -- AFP

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