Tight security ahead of Russian arms dealer's extradition to the US
Amid press speculation over whether US-bound Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was flown out of Thailand last night to face a US indictment against him on terrorism charges, the former KGB agent remained under detention and heavy security provided by Thai police.
After an "irrevocable" court verdict last week ordering Bout's extradition, Thai authorities have been tight-lipped about the exact date on which he is scheduled to be flown out of Thailand - especially throughout the day yesterday, when a US government jet landed at the military terminal at Don Mueang Airport to pick up the high-profile suspect.
Thai media were trying in vain last night to find out what time Bout would depart. The matter has become even more complicated after a reported last-minute effort by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who told the Moscow News online newspaper he would "do everything possible to bring Bout back to Russia", before a statement from the ministry called the Thai verdict "illegal".
Bout was transferred from the Bangkok Remand Prison, where he had been detained for two years since his arrest, to the Bang Khwang maximum-security prison. He is under the protection of 50 police commandos.
Sirisak Tiyaphan, the prosecutor-general of the Office of the Attorney-General's International Affairs Department, refused to comment on additional charges of money-laundering, wire fraud and violation of sanctions pressed by the United States against Bout.
A department source later said that the official release of a convict being extradited could be done only after "a court-issued release warrant" was made available. "The entire process cannot be completed by Wednesday morning," the source commented.
The Bout extradition saga was also discussed yesterday during an unrelated House session, when Pheu Thai Party MP Jatuporn Promphan alleged that a Russian-speaking person with ties to the government met Bout and persuaded him to say publicly that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was behind an arms-smuggling incident in March, when a cargo plane loaded with weapons was seized at Don Mueang Airport.
Jatuporn also told Parliament that the recent meeting was known to many people at the prison and called on the government to arrange a press conference to let Bout speak freely on the matter. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva later dismissed Jatuporn's statement as baseless.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the foreign minister, said earlier it was "unfortunate for Thailand" to be caught in the middle of a US-Russian conflict, but the best way out of the problem was for Thailand to stick to international doctrine on the matter.