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Arms dealer Viktor Bout, so-called the "merchant of death", has been sentenced to 25 years.
During the sentencing, a former Soviet military officer shouted "it's a lie" as the prosecution said he had agreed to sell weapons to kill Americans.
The 45-year-old was found guilty in November of attempting to sell heavy arms to a Colombian rebel group.
He was arrested in a Bangkok hotel after undercover US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents lured him from Moscow in a sting operation.
Bout remained in custody in Thailand for two years, before being extradited to the US to face trial.
"God knows truth"
Bout, a vegetarian who speaks six languages, hugged his lawyer and waved to his wife as he was led from the court on Thursday.
Earlier, he told the judge through a Russian interpreter that he "never intended to kill anyone" and said, "God knows this truth."
Sentencing had been delayed twice as his lawyer asked for more time to prepare and accused prosecutors of "outrageous government conduct"
Judge Shira Scheindlin said that 25 years was appropriate sentence for his crimes. She also ordered him to forfeit $15m.
Albert Dayan, Bout's lawyer, said they would appeal his conviction.
According to prosecutors, Bout agreed to sell 100 advanced portable surface-to-air missiles and approximately 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles during a meeting at a Bangkok hotel.
US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement: "Viktor Bout has been international arms trafficking enemy number one for many years, arming some of the most violent conflicts around the world.
It is said that Bout began channelling weapons to war-torn parts of Africa during the 1990s.
"Although Bout has often described himself as nothing more than a businessman, he was a businessman of the most dangerous order," prosecutors said in a pre-sentencing memo.
The US Treasury department banned any trade with Bout in 2004, citing an "unproven allegation" that he made $50m from selling arms to the Taliban.
During the trial, his defence argued Bout was just trying to sell two old cargo aircraft for $5m.
"Viktor was baiting them along with the promise of arms, hoping just to sell his planes," lawyer Albert Dayan told the court.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
During the sentencing, a former Soviet military officer shouted "it's a lie" as the prosecution said he had agreed to sell weapons to kill Americans.
The 45-year-old was found guilty in November of attempting to sell heavy arms to a Colombian rebel group.
He was arrested in a Bangkok hotel after undercover US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents lured him from Moscow in a sting operation.
Bout remained in custody in Thailand for two years, before being extradited to the US to face trial.
"God knows truth"
Bout, a vegetarian who speaks six languages, hugged his lawyer and waved to his wife as he was led from the court on Thursday.
Earlier, he told the judge through a Russian interpreter that he "never intended to kill anyone" and said, "God knows this truth."
Sentencing had been delayed twice as his lawyer asked for more time to prepare and accused prosecutors of "outrageous government conduct"
Judge Shira Scheindlin said that 25 years was appropriate sentence for his crimes. She also ordered him to forfeit $15m.
Albert Dayan, Bout's lawyer, said they would appeal his conviction.
According to prosecutors, Bout agreed to sell 100 advanced portable surface-to-air missiles and approximately 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles during a meeting at a Bangkok hotel.
US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement: "Viktor Bout has been international arms trafficking enemy number one for many years, arming some of the most violent conflicts around the world.
It is said that Bout began channelling weapons to war-torn parts of Africa during the 1990s.
"Although Bout has often described himself as nothing more than a businessman, he was a businessman of the most dangerous order," prosecutors said in a pre-sentencing memo.
The US Treasury department banned any trade with Bout in 2004, citing an "unproven allegation" that he made $50m from selling arms to the Taliban.
During the trial, his defence argued Bout was just trying to sell two old cargo aircraft for $5m.
"Viktor was baiting them along with the promise of arms, hoping just to sell his planes," lawyer Albert Dayan told the court.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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