My husband's not an arms dealer, bout's wife tells court

Alla Bout said international media has already decided her husband was guilty of these charges and she urged the Criminal Court yesterday to release him on bail so he could fight the extradition charges.

"They have destroyed his reputation," Alla said.

Bout has been dubbed the "Merchant of Death" by international media and his life story inspired a 2005 Hollywood movie, "Lord of War" that starred Nicholas Cage.

Alla said her husband has never been involved in the arms trade and his aviation cargo business had gone under in 2001.

Bout was arrested in Bangkok last March in a USThai sting operation.

Alla said she travels with Bout on numerous occasions and maintained that her husband's air cargo business was transparent and had the approval of whatever countries their shipments were going through.

The only South American country the couple had visited was Argentina and that was back in 1997 on a vacation to learn tango and pay respects to the late Evita Peron, the country's former first lady.

The next hearing is scheduled for April 29 during which the permanent secretary and directorgeneral of the Legal Affairs Department of the Thai Foreign Ministry are expected to give the court their input into what appeared to be a politically charged case.

Washington wants Bout to be tried in the US, and Moscow has called on Thailand to treat him fairly and in line with the country's due process.

Alla pointed to the long standing bilateral ties between Russia and Thailand and added that how her husband is treated could have an effect on these relations, especially among Russian investors.