Wikileaks alleged Russia bribed Bout witnesses
US diplomats alleged that Russia bribed witnesses to block the extradition of suspected international arms traffickers Viktor Bout to the US, according to WikiLeaks cables as reported by Guardian online.
Diplomats in Bangkok alleged in cables released by WikiLeaks that Bout’s “Russian supporters” had paid witnesses to give false testimony during his extradition hearing.
Dubbed the “merchant of death,” Bout was seized by the Thai authorities in March 2008 but only extradited to the US on November 16 this year. The US accused him of conspiring to sell millions of dollars of weapons to Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) rebels to kill Americans. The Kremlin strongly opposed his extradition.
