Russia slams U.S. over sentence for arms dealer Viktor Bout

[The Northerner]

Moscow (CNN) -- Russia criticized the United States on Friday for handing down a 25-year sentence to Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, saying the verdict against him was "baseless and biased."

Bout, who denies wrongdoing, was sentenced on Thursday to 25 years behind bars by a federal judge in New York.

Bout, who was dubbed "the merchant of death" by his accusers, was convicted last year on four counts of conspiracy to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles and provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Russia's foreign ministry accused the United States of acting illegally when its agents arrested Bout in Thailand and of pursuing a political agenda after he was extradited to the United States to face trial.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/06/justice/russia-us-viktor-bout-case/?hpt=hp_t1

[dipsydoodle]

1. I wouldn't want to be

the next US citizen the Russians arrest and charge for whatever reason.

[Javaman]

2. Cat and Mouse game of weapons sales...

It has long been rumored that Mr. Bout had been working with the Russian Government as a go between arms dealer of old and recent Russian military equipment.

I think the arrest of Mr. Bout is just another type of corporate policing of their selling territories.

The US can claim that they were "ridding the world of a person who dealt in death" while at the same time eliminating corporate competition in the hot 3rd world market of overly marketed and heavily saturated "war on terror" arms sales.

The machinations of the MIC and their mafia like need to control arms territories is at play here. nothing more and nothing less.