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Jury Selection Underway in Viktor Bout Terrorism Trial

Jury selection has begun in New York in the federal trial of Russian businessman Viktor Bout. Bout is charged with terrorism offenses for supplying arms to FARC, Colombian rebel fighters.

Bout was extradited from Thailand. His supporters maintain this website. The extradition request is here. From the Thai court extradition decision:[More...]

[T]he defendant was involved in conspiracy to commit crime with “FuerZas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia Ejercito del Pueblo” (FARC), a group of Colombian left-wing guerrillas designated by the U.S. Department of State as a foreign terrorist organization to protect their drug-trafficking business by using violence such as bombings, massacres, kidnappings, killing U.S. nationals and attacking U.S. interests in order to dissuade the Unites States from continuing its efforts to disrupt cocaine manufacturing and distribution activities as follows :

(1) Conspiracy to kill other people : In/about November 2007 to March 2008, the defendant and his conspirator(s) conspired to provide, compile weapons and train terrorism to FARC group to kill the U.S. nationals in order to intimidate or force the U.S. government not to disrupt cocaine manufacturing and distribution activities by agreement to provide the millions of U.S. dollars worth of war weapons to be used to attack the nationals and properties of the United States in Colombia.

(2) Conspiracy to kill the officers and employees of the U.S. government : In/about November 2007 to March 2008, the defendant and his conspirator(s) conspired to provide, compile weapons and train terrorism to FARC group to kill the officers and supporters of the U.S. government who performed their duties or would perform their duties in order to with the purpose of intimidating or forcing the U.S. government not to disrupt cocaine manufacturing and distribution activities by agreement to provide the millions of U.S. dollars worth of war weapons to be used to attack the officers of the U.S. government.

(3) Conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles : In/about November 2007 to March 2008, the defendant and his conspirator(s) conspired to provide, supply and train the use of war weapons such as surface-to-air missiles, guided ballistic missiles, including devices and components for assembly, installation and modification to FARC group, in order to use against the U.S. government with the purpose of intimidating or forcing the U.S. government not to disrupt cocaine manufacturing and distribution activities by agreement to provide the millions of U.S. dollars worth of war weapons to be used to attack the nationals and properties of the United States in Colombia.

For those above 3 acts committed from 10th January to 6th March 2008, the defendant and his conspirator(s) discussed about providing and delivering surface-to-air missiles including devices and components several times through phone calls, meetings and electronic mails. Finally, on 6th March 2008, the defendant was arrested in Thailand.

(4) Conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization : In/about November 2007 to March 2008, the defendant and his conspirator(s) conspired to provide, supply and train the use of war weapons to FARC group, in order to use against the U.S. government with the purpose of intimidating or forcing the U.S. government not to disrupt cocaine manufacturing and distribution activities by agreement to provide the millions of U.S. dollars worth of war weapons to be used to attack the nationals and properties of the United States in Colombia.

The crimes are alleged violations of Title 18, Section 2332(b) and 3238, Title 18, Section 1114, 1117, and Section 3238, Title 18, Section 2332 g(a)(1)(b) and 3238, and Title 18, Section 2339(b)(1), (d)(1) and Section 3238. The acts took place in Netherlands, Denmark, Russian Federation, Romania and Colombia.

Here's the affidavit of the DEA agent on the case.

Here's the DOJ press release on Bout's indictment.

I haven't followed this case closely, and am mostly aware of it from covering what I call the DEA Excellent African Adventures cases involving Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. But it promises to be very interesting.

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