Wife of accused Russian arms trader petitions Thai government

Alla Bout, wife of the alleged arms merchant Viktor Bout, along with other two German writers filed a petition at the Government House, asking Thai government not to extradite him to the United States, local website Kom Chad Luek reported.

Her appeal was submitted to the center for receiving public complaints.

The court of appeals on Aug. 20 said Bout, dubbed the Merchant of Death, must be extradited to face trial in the United States on charge of terrorism and selling weapons to Colombian guerrillas within three months, overturning a lower court's ruling in August 2009 that rejected a U.S. request that he face trial there.

Alla said in the petition that her husband was a victim and should not be extradited to the U.S.

Bout was arrested at a Bangkok luxury hotel in March 2008 in a sting operation which a U.S. agent posing as arms buyers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) deemed by the U.S. government as terrorist organization. He could face maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.

Source: Xinhua