Thai court denies US request to extradite Russian suspect
16:45, 11 August 2009
BANGKOK. August 11. KAZINFORM Thailand's Criminal Court has issued a non-guilty verdict to the Russian citizen Viktor Bout, thus denying a request from the U.S. to extradite him; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.
The court ruled the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia /FARC/, which Bout had allegedly planned selling weaponry to, was a political organization and not a terrorist one, as the U.S. had claimed.
Also, the Thai judiciary said the U.S. had failed to provide convincing evidence of Bout's guilt.
The court ruled, among other things, to free Bout from custody.
The businessman's spouse Alla told Itar-Tass the past eighteen or so months had been marked by nerve-breaking tension; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
See www.itar-tass.com for full version.