For a long time no better photo existed of Victor Bout other than this one.
| In November 2008
the BBC broadcasted a documentary about Victor Bout in the 'ThisWorld' -series. Below are a few impressions of this documentary. Futher below this page there is an update of a later film / documentary on Victor Bout, claimed to be more objective on the person. |
| For a long time no better photo existed of Victor Bout other than this one. |
 Johan Peleman stumbled on Victor Bout and his report triggered interest by the United Nations and countries concerned with the illegal arms trade & sanctions busting in Africa. |
 The documentary showed how Victor Bout's aircraft managed to fly illegal arms, circumventing watchful eyes and earning the title "no.1 sanction buster" |
 Tell them... |
 The dossier Victor Bout, alias Victor Butt, alias... |
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 VB had his aircraft operate on the African continent, but also from countries in eastern Europe, former Soviet States and the Middle East. |
 The US lost quite a bit of face when found that VB had his aircraft operate for them in Iraq. |
 Antonov An-8 & -12 and Ilyushin IL-18 aircraft were the main type of aircraft VB operated for a long time |
 "In the architecture of war Viktor Bout was kind of like the glue", says Gayle Smith, who was Senior Director for African Affairs at the US National Security Council in the late 1990s. |
 The journalist who met Victor Bout by accident and took the first photos of him |
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 Meet Victor Anatoliyevich Bout, soon afterwards labelled 'Merchant of Death' |
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 A media star was born |
 Kathi Austin explains how she tried to stem the transport of illegal weapons, using aircraft with false identities. She was part of a small UN group who made a brave attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries. [BBC News article] |
 The OFAC joined the fray... The US Treasury seized VB's cargo planes and froze his assets, which is said to have cost him some $6 billion (£4 billion). |
 Meanwhile, under the George G.W. Bush Administration, the attention for Victor Bout seemed to fade, much to the dismay of people who felt strongly about people like VB continueing their international arms trade. Including Andreas Morgner, seen above. |
 Victor Bout got media attention in Russia. |
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When VB was asked if he ever transported illegal products, he replied "would you ask a Russian taxi driver if he ever carried a criminal?" |
 Meanwhile wars continued in Africa and there was no shortage of arms supply. |
 But things were under way, a sting was being set up.. |
 Phase one was a contact made with a gobetween in Curacao, posing as a FARC member wanting to buy arms |
 The gobetween.. |
 Victor Bout remained elusive, but the hunt continued |
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Victor Bout could not meet in Bucharest either, so Bangkok,Thailand was suggested |
 "It was Weapons R Us. Anything we needed he was willing to provide," says Tom Pasquerallo, head of the DEA's SE Asia Bureau and the man who made the final arrest. |
 06Mar08: everything put in place in Bangkok, the trap ready to spring |
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 Before he was released without explanation, Belozersky said he was quizzed by five Americans in civilian clothes. "An American man told me I should immediately leave Thailand, otherwise I’d be in trouble," he said |
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"The Thai Court will issue its final decision on
11 August 2009"- www.victorbout.com |
THE NOTORIOUS MR BOUT
www.imdb.com/title/tt3460064/ |
OTHER DOCUMENTARIES: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notorious_Mr._Bout |
Updates & comments welcomed.
Victor Bout, the Official Website
Wikipedia
Back to Victor Bout's file
