Thai Police Hold Russian Arms Dealer Sought by U.S. (Update1)
By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Robin Stringer
March 6 (Bloomberg) -- A Russian accused of breaking United Nations arms embargoes was arrested by Thai police in Bangkok at the request of the U.S.
Viktor Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, was arrested in connection with a warrant issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Thai police Lieutenant Pongpat Chayapan said today in a telephone interview.
Police colonel Petcharat Sengchai said Bout was wanted on charges of supplying arms to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a paramilitary group that has fought Colombia's authorities for more than 40 years, the Associated Press reported. Colombia last week carrying out a cross border air strike on FARC rebels based in Ecuador, killing one of their leaders and prompting Venezuela to send troops to the Colombian border.
Bout runs a network of cargo companies that specialize in transporting arms to conflict zones. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in July 2004 on allegations of war profiteering after allegedly supplying former Liberian President Charles Taylor with weapons.
The Treasury later froze assets of 30 companies and four people linked to Bout in 2006. He travels on at least five different passports, according to UN reports.
Russia will probably decide whether to seek Bout's extradition after receiving documents confirming Bout's detention in two or three days, the Russia's RIA Novosti news service said today, citing an unidentified law-enforcement official.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Viktor Bout, AKA The Merchant of Death ARRESTED
As many as 500,000 people/year are killed in little regional wars Congo to Colombia—most of them with portable assault rifles such as the AK-47. Viktor Bout has armed almost every warlord and terrorist who can afford it. Bout was the single largest supplier of guns to the Revolutionary United Front and its child soldiers in Sierra Leone, aiding the outbreak of horrific campaigns of mass torture, rape, and amputation. Bout also armed warring factions in Afghanistan in the late nineties, working for the Northern Alliance government while covertly selling planes and weapons to Taliban militants (who shared them with Al Qaeda). Rival international gunrunners provided merely the arms and false documents authorizing their transfer, Bout, however is a full service killer he includes delivery to the riskiest war zone.
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1 comment:
I read this story
http://news.findlaw.com/usatoday/docs/crim/usbout22708cmp.html
Something is wrong.
First Question :
Why was neccesary to send Viktor Bout one of his lieutenants to travel at Bucharest ?
His business link with Romanian Governement in periode 1996-1999 was colonel Gigel BRATILOVEANU/ ROMTEHNICA. When his business was to illegal transfer of Romanian Governement weapons loaded on Bucharest-Otopeni military apron for almost hundred flights with destination DR Congo, Angola, Iran, Liberia, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda etc. Now Mr. Bratiloveanu is in charge like comercial representative of Romanian Ambassy at Moskaw. He gave to V. Bout the memory stick with the price of Romanian surface-to-air missile systems for FARC guerrilas.
http://moscova.mae.ro/index.php?lang=ro&id=13510
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Second Question :
Are you ever hear about :
Bout airplane registred in Moldova ER-75929 operated 73 flights of Romanian build smuglling weapons for Africa at military apron of Otopeni-Bucharest airport under Air Acvila ( RRM code ), a Romanian Department of Defense company.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/UPDF_generals_linked_to_merchant_of_death.shtml
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/vasilescu_album/EL-JNS/22.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/vasilescu_album/EL-JNS/23.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/vasilescu_album/EL-JNS/24.jpg
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Third Question : Do you read the documents of my page ?
http://www.myspace.com/val2002
Compare with :
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980204-0&lang=en
http://www.lajes.af.mil/
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About a int`l smuggling weapons connection for Iran about you never heart till now. And the sclavagist procedures used by Justice of Romania regarding human rights, for hiding the true, the illegal connection between Romanian high rank political and military leaders with worldwide arms smuggling dealers especially Viktor Bout,.take a look on the left column of page wich contains a real story with a lot of original documents.
I am glad to know my letter interest you. I am living in Bucharest Romania and I am not able to travel abroad. I have no job since 2004 year, when the Romanian Governement decided for me an interdiction for employment and I have no money. I am looking to help in a abuse case in Justice. In Romania we haven`t any Amnisty national section, in connection with worldwide groups. Nobody cares about abuses in Romania , this is the reason they can go on for longtime. I graduated Romanian AF Academy ( 1984 ), like pilot on fighter jet MIG-21. I graduated War College too in 1992, MD in Aeronautical Science. For me all start up in may 6-th 1998 when I was arrested at my job, in my office of asistant commander of Bucharest-Otopeni Int`l Airport, like an dangerous criminal. I successful passed the exam for a job in Bucharest Otopeni Int`l Airport in September 1996, like traffic controller on the ground ( marshaler). Step by step I received by exam the international licence of Ro.C.A.Authority the qualification of traffic controller-begginer, traffic controller and traffic controller-instructor. In October 1997 I was promoted by concurs in the job of assistant commander. This denomination means a coordinator for safety air traffic before the take of and after landing, taxiing and parking of aircraft. This job means no decision regarding airport, the board of directors including : airport`s director general, deputy director, technical director, development director, financial director and operational director ( who subordinate all 4 asistant commanders, each working in separate shift- 12/24 hours). I do this job since November 1997 till May 6-th 1998. When they put and keep me in jail for 100 days without any proves against me. Acording Romanian legislation an absence of duty more than 60 days it means you are loosing the job forever. Authorities make up an fake cigarette`s smuggling, the case had an huge echo Romanian media call it : scandal "TIGARETA 2". In fact, no cigarettes on board of airplaneViktor Bout`s airplane IL-76 operating for AIR SOFIA, landed at Bucharest Otopeni. Overnight standing at military apron was necesary for Romanian secret services to load the romanian anti aircraft missilles for underembargo destination ( Teheran-OIII code IATA ). It was not the first time. When the Court permit me to prove ( more than 1 year of beginning the trial ), I put the doccuments on the table. You can read a 1999 year issue of ZIUA Romanian newspaper :
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SEVEN TIMES “CIGARETTE 2”-WEAPONS” AT THE SUPREME COURT
EX_COMMANDER OF THE OTOPENI AIRPORT ,V.VASILESCU,DEPOSED SECRET DOCCUMENTS REGARDED SEVEN NO CIGARETTE TRANSPORTS BUT WEAPONS OR CIGARETTES AND WEAPONS, WITH THE SAME SCENARIO OF “CIGARETTE 2”,UNDER THE COVER OF “SPECIAL OPPERATIONS” OF STATE.
Two days ago, the Panel of Judges of the Supreme Court adjourned the cause “Cigarette 2”.The real motif is represented by the doccuments rised at the end,which represent ,mostly,military secrets not to be published.
“Ziua” journal found out that these doccuments have been sent by the Defence Comission which examined ex-commander from Otopeni Airport ,Valentin Vasilescu,with a direct address at the dossier from the Supreme Court. Comission members asked to the Panel to take in charge these doccuments, because they can change the juridical interpretation of the Panel in the given case. Asked what those doccuments containing,V.Vasilescu decleared us that it is about seven weapons undercovered in cigarette transports and,some part cigarettes in change of weapons, which were accomplished on the channel Iran, Burundi-Eritreea and other countries from Africa,on the same manner like “Cigarette2”.Only here was about others smugglers and intermediaries never questioned by authorities. So,the scenario of the seven transports under “special”conditions was identically, only the characters were changed.
From our sources,there are some high rank persons implicated not only in the “Cigarette2”,but also in other transports. Weapons undercovered of cigarettes were exported ,as military technique, apparently on the Viktor Bout & Shimon Naor ( an US col. Oliver North ex-colaborator in Iran contra operation ) channel, because he had the monopoly at that time on such secret transactions.
It is interesting that these doccuments were not arrived immediately in the dossier. They laied at the leadership of the Supreme Court and it was found their trace only on Monday session,after V.Vasilescu made “waves”in other offices. Based on these doccuments,the Court may solicit the enlargement of the juridical research.
So,the “Cigarette2” will have a total changed final.
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As I say, nobody cares about the thrue clear put in light by my doccuments. Justice can`t denie it, there was original doccuments, wich was “get lost” by the authorities to save one`s hide when they start up the investigations.
Mr. Tocu Vasile received the appointment to build up the preliminary report in “Tigareta 2” ( delivered at May 4-th 1998 ) like the highest rank investigative specialist in charge.As I mention, I was arrested at May 6-th 1998. The same person ( Tocu Vasile ), the chief Inspector of Civil Aviation together with Mr. Frincu Aleodor Marian ( the Transport`s secretary of state for Civil Aviation send to Bucharest-Otopeni Airport director the order, disposal of July 19-th 1998 ( when I was in jail ) to erase of airport`s evidence 11 documents wich certified 11 special flights of 1996 year, operated by the same procedure like the incriminated flight of April 16-th 1998 of Tigareta 2 case. I enclosed one of them. The airport deputy commander shift at September 29th 1996 was Tocu Vasile ( promoted in 1997 like chief Inspector of Aviation ). Route : Podgorita ( Muntenegro )-Bucharest Otopeni landing. After than airplane ( IL-76 type ) take off full for destination : Teheran. Remarks : Parked for loading at Otopeni Air Force Base`s apron ( parcat la U.M. 01962 ). No passengers. Procedure is valuable only in case of dangerous goods cargo (arms ). Air company = MIRAVIA.
The commercial deal between Romania and Iran involved delivery the equipments of 2 regiments of A.A. missiles, estimative cost ~ 8-9 million USD. Each regiment composed by 3 launching battery ( L.B.) and 1 technical battery (T.B.). Each L.B. composed by 4 mobile launching ramps ( L.R.)on trucks and 1 mobile radar tracking system ( M.R.T.S.) cm, dm frecvency antennas included.
At least 80-90 missiles, 24 L.R.; 6 M.R.T.S.; 2 complexe T.B. with few mobile components ( missile`s fuell is high toxic and corrosive, a reason to transport and storage separate; ansambly it only before the launching ). For deploy by air the 2 regiments of missile was planned at least 20 flights of wide body aircraft ( IL-76 or B-707 type ) of Viktor Bout`s companies and 6 flights using medium cargo aircraft ( AN-12 ). In 1996 was only 11 flights. In my page ( http://www.myspace.com/val2002 ) can see in adition the flight of February 21-st 1998 of Uzbekistan Airways ( UZB-3509/3510 ) operated by AN-12 registred UK-11639. The agreement of landing and overflight for this flight was eliberated by Ro Department of Defence-MApN ( Acord de survol nr. 00096/02.98 ). This document mention : the purpose of flight is to transport components of missiles wich property of Army Arsenal ( transporta componente de racheta din Arsenalul Armatei ). For high priority of this flight Romanian Air Force according the military schedule for Air Traffic Controller`s papers ( 8683 specify for special flights-cargo ). The destination of flight is wrong. Nobody find out this type of Romanian AA missiles in Uzbekistan Army or Azerbaidjan Army.The second flight was at March 1-st 1998. Boeing 707 ex-Santa Lucia`s Oliver North Airways company first registered as J6-SLF, now re-registered in Liberia EL-JNS operated by Sky Air together with Air Atlantic Cargo property of US-Iranian Farhad Azima, aviation magnate and gun-runner, business partnership in Heavy Lift company with arms dealer Victor Bout. He is member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Azerbajan Chamber of Commerce also ( http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=2 ). This guy had since May 1987 till 2003 an office at Ostend Airport-Belgium, where its aircraft was also periodically stored for maintenance purposes. He donated 1 million USD for presidential campaign of Bill Clinton ( 2000 year ) http://www.wilderness-cry.net/tcn/2001/feb10.html. The same like the flight of September 29th 1996, the Air company of March 1-st 1998 was MIRAVIA ( flight MRV-601/2 ). And the military schedule for Air Traffic Controller`s papers was 8663, code OACI of airport of arrival = OIII Teheran-Mehrabad, Iran (http://www.airportfact.com/c9857-THR-OIII-tehran.html ).
The third was the incriminated IL-76`s flight of Tigareta 2 ( April 16-th, 1998 ) SFB-1652/3. Mention again the military schedule for Air Traffic Controller`s papers : 8964, 8929. The rules for air traffic flow management integration for Civil/military co-ordination are described in Manual Concerning Safety Measures Relating to Military Activities Potentially Hazardous to Civil Aircraft Operations (Doc 9554). And Annex 7 — Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks/ Chicago Conventiion.
As you see on my page the criteria is simple : 1001-1999= Romanian companies for commercial passenger or cargo flight ( for ex. TAROM-ROT ). 2001-3999= foreign companies for commercial passenger or cargo flight ( for ex. Greek Olympic Airways OAL ). 4001-4999 = Romanian Air Force flights on Civilian air routes ( for ex. ROAF ). 7001-7999 = special transport-passenger, VIP priority flights ( head of State ). 8001-8999 = special transport-cargo, arms on board of foreign civilian registred aircraft. Flight Plan ( F.P.) is a document completed only by commander of aircraft. When he loaded a cargo on the departure airport mention it in F.P. field : type of flight. Code OACI for cargo at board , commercial purpose of flight is N. ( see the document on my page ). The Romanian authorities and the Justice established the IL-76 take of empty for a ferry flight on April 17-th, 1998. But for an empty aircraft the commander no pay taxes on route if only marked at Bucharest , on F.P. code G ( from general aviation ). Acording Convention on International Civil Aviation of Chicago Annex 6 — Operation of Aircraft ( Part I — International Commercial Air Transport — Aeroplanes; Part II — International General Aviation — Aeroplanes ).
In addition, you shold clarified the guest stars of this special operation reading :
http://www.ziarul-ziarul.ro/articol2486/Norica-Nicolai-dealer-de-armament.htm
http://www.gardianul.ro/2007/12/07/dosar-c58/exclusivitate_dovada_afacerii_arme_pentru_iran_-s105712.html
Only a few Romanian intelligence agencies covered import-export firms was involved in cigarettes smuggling on Bucharest airport and in frre zone of Agigea, Constanta port ( new and old ), for make money for support military training of Islamic organizations . This person start up his career like naval intelligence officer of a Middle East country. His partener in those firms was a Romanian Army general, appointed like the head of Guardia Financiare. In fact, the management of this network of undercovered firms belong to colonel GEORGE DUMITRESCU (ID serial DM no. 365850 ) active duty high rank officer of Brigada Antiterorista / SRI ( Homeland Romanian Inteligence Service ), who coordinate the arab citizen and his brothers activities . He was the person who signed all the documents of firm and I enclosed it in my attachement. His cousin, ex-personnel head of staff of Intelligence Academy in `90s years, was appointed colonel prosecutor of Military Panell. In all operations with cigarettes this network was supported by a general, the head of Economic Counter Intelligence division of SRI. This job was profitable for general, he multiply with thousands his official salary. Personel of SIE ( Foreign Intelligence Agency of Romania ) based in a Romanian Ambassy was responsible for fake documents necessary for commercial operations of the net. Accomlishing a superior order certainly.
Best regards,
Valentin Vasilescu
http://www.cdep.ro/pls/parlam/structura.mp?idm=315&cam=2&leg=2000&pag=0&prn=0&par=&idl=2
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