ZHANG: Today's top story...an extradition hearing is being held at a court in Thailand for suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Washington wants Bout extradited to the US because he is suspected of trying to sell weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels. STORY: Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout appeared in Bangkok's Criminal Court today to face another extradition hearing. US authorities have urged Bangkok to extradite Bout to New York, where he could stand trial for conspiracy to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels, which the United States says could be used to kill Americans in Colombia. Bout, dubbed the "Merchant of Death" by the media, arrived in orange prison garb, with his ankles shackled. Bout said in a statement handed out by his wife, Alla Bout, that his arrest was the result of a frame-up operation by the US intelligence. He said he has never been to the US or Colombia and has never committed any crime there. He also accused Thailand of detaining him in a prison in extremely inhumane conditions. Bout was arrested in a Bangkok hotel in a Thai-American sting operation after arriving from Moscow in March last year. He has denied any wrongdoing and says he was merely a businessman involved in the aviation industry. His previous hearing in December was rescheduled to March 6 after two defense witnesses failed to turn up. Bout's lawyers argue their client was illegally detained by Thai and American officials. US prosecutors say Bout has been <b>...</b>

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Russia's Foreign Minister has called a Thai court's decision to extradite the suspected Russian arms baron, Viktor Bout, to the US 'political'. Sergey Lavrov also said the ruling was made under pressure from, in his words, ''the outside". He added Moscow would seek to bring Bout back to Russia.

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According to latest reports, a Thai court has ruled in favor of Russian citizen Victor Bout. Thus, Bout will not be extradited to the US at this point.

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The alleged Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout has left Thailand after being handed over to US authorities. It follows the Thai government's decision to approve his extradition. Washington accuses the businessman of a number of crimes, including trying to sell weapons to rebels in Colombia. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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WONG: The extradition process for alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout continues today. His wife took the witness stand in a Bangkok's criminal court. US authorities have urged Bangkok to extradite Bout to New York, where he could stand trial for conspiracy to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels. The US says those weapons could be used to kill Americans in Colombia. STORY: Alla Bout, a defense witness in an extradition hearing, says her husband was a businessman running a legal aviation cargo business during the 1990s in war-torn Africa and other countries. She also says Bout quit the cargo business and moved to Moscow in 2001 to be with his family. The wife of the suspected Russian arms dealer added that her husband has never been to United States or run a business in Asia before. [Lak Nitiwatanavichan, Bouts Lawyer]: "We are trying to give justice to the US, Russia as well as Thailand. Thailand is an arena on this case and we need to be a good referee to keep our pride that anyone who faces a court case in Thailand will be treated with justice." On March 9, a Thai court agreed to hear Bout's petition of illegal detention. If the court finds ground for his petition, he will be released. The judge scheduled March 18 as the last day of witness hearings. After that he may set a date for his verdict. Bout has been dubbed the "Merchant of Death" by the media. He was arrested in Bangkok in an American sting operation after arriving from Moscow in March <b>...</b>

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Moscow says it will seek to bring Viktor Bout back to his country. The Thai court's decision to allow the extradition of the suspected arms dealer to the US is seen by Russia as political and made under pressure. US wants Bout on charges of terrorism and supplying arms to Colombian rebels, which he denies. Kent Goodman, publisher and author says Bout is being extradited because he posed a direct threat to American business in Africa.

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An alleged Russian arms dealer, dubbed by the West, the 'Merchant of death', may be extradited to the US within hours. Viktor Boot's lawyer says a special plane has arrived in Bangkok, where he's currently being held. It comes after Washington asked Thailand to discard fresh charges brought against him. Daniel Estulin - author and investigative journalist - says the whole process has been orchestrated to disguise American involvement...

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Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has been extradited from Thailand to the United States to stand trial, a development opposed by Moscow. Russia has long opposed Bout's extradition to the United States and called for him to be released and returned home. Author Daniel Estulin says Viktor Bout is one of Bilderberg's pawns in its attempt to destroy Russia. Viktor Bout has been extradited to the United States from Thailand and Russia is not happy about it. Moscow called the move illegal and said the Thai court's decision was politically motivated. Why does the United States want Bout so badly? RT Contributor Wayne Madsen explains the "Neo Cons in Washington are chomping at the bit to kill the US-Russian relations reset". INFOWARS.COM PRISONPLANET.COM PRISONPLANET.TV OATHKEEPERS.ORG AE911TRUTH.ORG

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The alleged Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout has left Thailand after being handed over to US authorities. After months of intense political pressure from both Washington and Moscow, the Thai government agreed with an earlier Appeals Court decision to extradite Bout to the United States early on Tuesday.

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Thailand authorities say a Russian businessman wanted for arms dealing in the US will not be extradited immediately. Reports had suggested a special plane and fifty US commandos had arrived in Bangkok, where Viktor Boot is being held.

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Russian businessman - Viktor Bout - has been found guilty of trafficking arms to terrorists by a New York jury. Arrested in Thailand in 2008, he was extradited to the US in 2010 to face trial. RT's Marina Portnaya brings us more from New York. And to discuss Bout's verdict further, RT's joined live by international extradition lawyer Douglas McNabb. RT on Twitter twitter.com RT on Facebook www.facebook.com

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A Thai court has ruled that suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout can be extradited to the US. It is now up to the Thai government to decide whether the extradition will occur. On Friday, a Thai appeals court ruled to extradite alleged Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout to the United States to face charges of supplying weapons to Colombian rebels. Bout, who was dubbed the "Merchant of Death," has been held in a Thai maximum-security prison since his arrest in March 2008. Bout was nabbed in a sting operation in which agents posed as arms buyers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The appeals court overturned last year's ruling by a lower court that said the FARC was a political movement and not a terrorist group and therefore extradition could not be granted for a political offense. However, the appeals court judge ruled on Friday the case was criminal, not political. Bout's lawyer says ultimately it's the Thai government's decision whether or not to extradite his client and he would lodge a petition to block the extradition. [Lak Nittiwattanawichan, Bout's Lawyer]: "The extradition treaty between Thailand and the United States specifies that the government will make the decision to extradite. The government will make the final decision on whether to extradite or not." Bout's wife accused the Thai authorities of succumbing to pressure from the United States. [Ella Bout, Viktor Bout's Wife]: "I believe that in this issue there's been a tremendous <b>...</b>

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Russian businessman and gun-running suspect Viktor Bout has been put in a New York jail after extradition from Thailand. Moscow insists the Thai decision to hand him over to the US authorities was illegal and says it will continue to fight for him. If convicted, Bout could face life behind bars. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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Moscow has dubbed Thailand's extradition of Russian businessman Viktor Bout to the US as "illegal". Washington is accused of using 'unprecedented political pressure' to have him handed over. America says the man nicknamed the "Merchant of death" trafficked arms to dictators and conflict zones around the world. For more RT, talks to Daniel Estulin - an investigative journalist who has written about the links between governments and those outside the law. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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Alleged arms trafficker Viktor Bout claims US officials were trying to pressure him to make a confession when he was extradited from Thailand. He told this to Russian diplomats when they visited him in the New York prison. If convicted, Viktor Bout faces life in prison, but he denies all the charges. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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US Attorney Preet Bharara has held a news conference in New York on the extradition of suspected arms dealer Viktor Bout to the United States. Russian businessman Viktor Bout is currently being held in a high-security prison in New York after his extradition from Thailand. Dubbed the "merchant of death" for allegedly trafficking weapons around the world, he faces life in prison on terrorism charges in America. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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Russian businessman Viktor Bout is being held in a high-security prison in New York after his extradition from Thailand. Dubbed the "merchant of death" for allegedly trafficking weapons around the world, he faces life in prison on terrorism charges in America. Moscow says the decision to hand him over to the US is "extreme injustice" and promised to support him "by all means". RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com

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THAILAND - 'Merchant of Death' leaves Thailand to face US terrorism charges Accused Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death", was flown out of Bangkok on a special US jet after Thai authorities on Tuesday approved his extradition to the United States on terrorism charges.

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Suspected arms dealer Viktor Bout arrives at the Bangkok Criminal Court to hear whether he would be extradited to the US Infamously dubbed the "Merchant of Death," Bout was arrested after arriving from Moscow to a Bangkok hotel, during a Thai-American sting operation in March last year. US prosecutors say Bout has been trafficking arms since the 1990s, using a fleet of cargo planes to send weapons to Africa, South America, and the Middle East, among others. He arrived in handcuffs with his ankles shackled, but looked healthy. He's been fighting for his innocence, and says he was illegally detained by Thai and American officials. He has no expectations as to whether he would face trial in the US [Viktor Bout, Suspected Arms Dealer]: "No expectation. Well, today is exactly the same. The sun is shinning, and the birds are singing." US authorities want Bout extradited to New York, where he is expected to stand trial for conspiracy of selling millions of dollars of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels. The US says the weapons could be used to kill Americans in Colombia. Bout says he has never been to the US or Colombia, and has never committed any crime there. According to the United Nations and the US Treasury, Bout has sold or brokered arms that have helped fuel wars in Afghanistan, Angola, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Sudan.

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Russian businessman and alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout, is set to appear in a US court for a pre-trial hearing. He's facing charges of conspiring to kill Americans and supplying weapons to terrorists. While Boot maintains his innocence, the media continues to label him 'The Merchant of Death'.

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The man nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" in the West, will have to wait at least another eight months to find out his fate. A US judge has ruled that Russian businessman Viktor Bout will stand trial in a New York federal court, in September. He's facing charges of conspiring to kill Americans and supplying weapons to terrorists. Investigative journalist Daniel Estulin, who's been closely following the case, told RT the US is targeting Russia through Viktor Bout.

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The trial location for Viktor Bout, the Russian dubbed the 'Merchant of Death', is still up in the air, with suggestions that the US has sent an official to Thailand to push for his extradition. Bout is being held in Thailand where he's accused of supplying military equipment to terrorists.

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The man nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" in the West, will have to wait at least another eight months to find out his fate. A US judge has ruled that Russian businessman Viktor Bout will stand trial in a New York federal court, in September. He's facing charges of conspiring to kill Americans and supplying weapons to terrorists.

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A criminal court in Thailand has rejected a request by the US to drop a second set of charges against alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. he decision dents Washington's plans to have the man extradited to the US to face trial on terrorism-related charges. A new hearing is expected to begin in Bangkok on October 5th. RT gets more analysis from investigative journalist and author Daniel Estulin who has interviewed Victor Bout in Thailand.

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Before having presented their evidence to a US court of justice against Viktor Bout, the Prosecution has already labeled the Russian a notorious international arms trafficker. They claim no international or United States law was violated in extraditing Bout, saying he conspired in a fight against the US. RT's Anastasia Churkina reports from New York.

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The case of Russian businessman Viktor Bout detained in Thailand last March following a US extradition warrant comes before a Thai court today.

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