By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Senior Article Editor

NEW YORK, US – Through the joint effort of law enforcement agencies in at least five countries, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout and his associate, Andrew Smulian, were arrested today. Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, has the largest private fleet of cargo aircraft in the world, most of which were acquired after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Although some of his work was legitimate, officials claim that for years Bout and Smulian delivered weapons and ammunitions to warlords and militants throughout the world. The two made millions of dollars in arm trafficking to Columbian rebels, al Qaeda, and the Taliban during their reign in Afghanistan. The US government claims Bout made profits of $50 million in Afghanistan alone.

Intelligence officials also allege that Bout sold arms to countries in Africa engaged in civil war in exchange for diamonds. The complaint alleges that Bout and Smulian were paid by West African fighters with blood diamonds.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor, notorious for his war crimes and child soldier “recruitment program”, is also among the list of buyers from Bout and Smulian dealings. Taylor is presently being tried by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for war crimes.

In 2003 the US Department of State designated the pair as a foreign terrorist organization and one of the most wanted arm traffickers.

Bout and Smulian were arrested in Thailand after two undercover agents from the US Drug and Enforcement Admistration posed as Columbian rebels to purchase millions of dollars worth of weapons. The pair has been charged with conspiracy to provide “material support and resources” to a terrorist group. Each faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The US plans to extradite Bout from Thailand.

Bout denies all allegations of involvement with blood diamonds from Africa and arms dealing to al Qaeda or the Taliban.

For more information please see:

CNN – ‘Most-wanted’ Arms Dealer Arrested in Thailand – 6 March 2008