Viktor Bout, a pawn in world politics?

The Russian lawyer Yanis Yuksha has condemned the trial of Viktor Bout, a former Soviet Air Force officer, arrested on charges of alleged arms trafficking, as unfair. He said this in an interview with the Voice of Russia.

The US authorities have charged Viktor Bout with conspiring to kill Americans, to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles and to provide material support to agents posing as Colombian rebels. The charges were supported by the evidence of pilots who worked with Mr. Bout in Africa and also by Mike Snow, an employee of the US security services. The witnesses said that the businessman also provided arms to African countries in the 90s.

Mr. Bout is thought to have been the inspiration for the 2005 film “Lord of War”, in which Nicolas Cage portrays a weapons seller pursued by Interpol.

The evidence against the businessman was quite ridiculous. Mr. Bout was accused of smuggling alcohol to the Angolan rebels and delivering military hardware to various African nations. At the same time prosecutors openly admitted that these very data should convince the jury that the Russian businessman is an arms dealer boasting rich experience and leading a global criminal network.

Viktor Bout’s lawyer Albert Dayan argues that his client is wrongly accused. He said Mr. Bout had not been an arms dealer but had run a legitimate air-cargo business that transported arms, which, he added, was not a crime. He said he had never intended to sell arms to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as he had merely played along with the informers because he wanted to unload two cargo planes they had offered to buy. However, these arguments seem to be falling on deaf ears, as the US authorities took the accusing stance, believes Yanis Yuksha.

"It is not a fair trial but a travesty of justice towards a Russian citizen. The US is trying to scare anyone who is unwilling to cooperate with the authorities. That is why the final judgment is quite clear."

Prosecutor Anjan Sahni ridiculed defense arguments stressing that Viktor Bout’s fault had been proved. Although the lawyers reiterated that there was no evidence to support this. Here is an opinion of the Russian MP Kira Lukyanova.

"I think, Mr. Bout can not hope for the best. The public opinion sees him as an arms and drug dealer with links to Al-Qaeda. And so on and so forth."

Viktor Bout has pleaded not guilty and if convicted could face life in prison. At the same time his very presence in the US is raising questions. He argued that the US request for his extradition from Thailand was tainted by its “political nature”, as it was carried out with significant violations. The decision about him being extradited could be taken only by the court; however it was made by the Cabinet.

The case of Victor Bout is certainly a political one. Some experts call it a leftover from the times of the Cold War, but it is rather to be seen as a useful tool for the US to put pressure on Russia in the future.