MP asked if Thaksin tried to smuggle arms for red shirts; Sirichoke 'accused' Russian suspect of being KGB agent
The United States is pushing secure the extradition of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout while Moscow insisted the "ballyhoo" created by Washington over him may inevitably affect RussianUS relations which the US is trying to 'reset' them.
The Thai government has been under pressure from both sides to make the decision over the destination of Bout's extradition. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said it was the court who would make the decision weather Bout would go or stay longer in Thailand.
The Appeals Court ordered on August 20 to extradite Bout to the US as requested in connection with charges including supplying materials to international terrorist organisations. He was supposed to leave but the court cannot let him go unless a second charge pressed against him by the US on money laundering was withdrawn.
Washington has already sent the request to withdraw the second charge but the request has not yet reached the court.
Bout's lawyer Lak Nittiwattanawichan lodged a petition with Abhisit asking him to exercise his executive power to stop the extradition.
"I would see his reason and would make the decision in the line with court's ruling," Abhisit told reporters.
"If the court disagreed with the withdrawal request, he would stay longer in Thailand."
The lawyer criticised the US for "showing off its power" by assigning a government jet on standby in Bangkok to pick up his lawyer at anytime.
US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said Washing was looking forward to seeing Bout in a courtroom in the US.
Vladimir Kozin, deputy director of the information and press department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in his article in The Moscow Times that the Russian authority has promised to continue to offer Bout all possible assistance with the ultimate aim of securing his release and return home.
"Taking into account Moscow's firm support of Bout, who remains innocent under U.S., Thai and Russian law, the ballyhoo created by Washington over him may inevitably effect RussianU.S. relations to the detriment of the U.S. effort to "reset" them," Kozin said.
The case is unfair, and Bout must be freed, he said in his article entitled "Ballyhoo Over Nothing" published in the paper on Thursday.
Thanee Thongphakdee, a deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman, said a request for withdrawal of US money laundering charge would be forwarded to the Court of Appeals through a joint communiqué with the Office of Attorney General by next week.
Sirisak Tiyaphan, prosecutorgeneral of the OAG's International Affairs Department, said the government needed to have solid and logical reasons not to extradite Bout to any country after the end of the threemonth deadline.
"But the government is supposed to not be heading to that direction, as the withdrawal of the money laundering charge is being processed, and there are only paperwork steps away from it," he added