Posted on 03/06/2008 10:49:34 AM PST by ricks_place
BANGKOK — One of the world’s most notorious arms dealers, suspected of supplying weapons to the Taliban and Al Qaeda and of pouring huge arms shipments into Africa’s civil wars with his own private air fleet, was arrested by Thai authorities in a hotel here Thursday. His capture was prompted by a tipoff from the United States in connection with the procurement of weapons for the Colombian FARC rebels.
The Justice Department said that federal prosecutors in New York would unseal criminal charges against the arms dealer, Viktor Bout, 41, and one of his associates later Thursday, charging them with conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Such a step would mean that American prosecutors think it likely Mr. Bout will be brought to the United States to stand trial.
Mr. Bout, who is wanted by the police in many countries, is a former Soviet Air Force officer. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, he built a network of air cargo companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and the United States, according to the United States Treasury,.
United Nations reports and other investigations have concluded that Mr. Bout may have run the world’s largest arms-smuggling network. Peter Hain, a former British minister for Europe, who investigated the arms-for-diamonds trade, has called him “Africa’s chief merchant of death.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
More good WOT news.
Welcome to the first day of prison, but don’t die yet!
THAILAND? (Sorry, had to do it...)
When Hugo calls, people listen! LOLOLOL
That is all I'm going to say.
what is his source of these weapons? mostly likely its china or Russia.
What are you talking about. Who do you think helped us in Afghanistan?
Duh. VB did. We used many of his plans and weapons. The world is not Black and White.
plans=planes
Was it Yuri Orlov?
Rats! Missed a chance to get an IBTY (in before the Yuri!)
So you’d be in favor of releasing this guy... eh, Mr. Gray?
Depends on how much he can help us. AS always.
Well obviously we didn’t think supplying arms to FARC was all that helpful which of course was why he got “dimed out”. Duh!
November 02, 2006, 05:57:58 PM
Let's shine a light on Mr. Olatoye and his business enterprises, from Precious [my note: "Precious" is Crytal Mangum, the false accuser in the Duke lacrosse case] stripping at the Platinum Club to, perhaps, running guns in Africa?
It seems that Africargo International is involved with a certain Victor Bout. "UN officials have accused Victor Bout of using the United Arab Emirates as a permanent base but using many "flags of convenience" and sub-contracting arrangements for his aircraft to facilitate illegal arms and diamond smuggling activities, particularly in Africa. Victor Bout's aircraft were allegedly used to take coltan and cassiterite out of DRC; to bring supplies into mining sites in DRC; and to transport military troops and equipment."
-snip-
Royalty Enterprises USA World Corporate Headquarters:
9309 Royal Crest Dr. Raleigh, NC 27617
Tel: (919) 806-1936 Fax: (919) 806-1870
Royalty Enterprises USA About us
Royalty Enterprises USA is a multi-services company with worldwide presence. Our services are Air-cargo Operations, Commodity Trading, Entertainment, Service Stations, Constructions, Designer Furniture Retail, Education and Scientific/Medical Equipment Trading.
Our mission is to provide quality service to our customers through our subsidiaries worldwide. All customers are treated with ultimate respect. Our highly qualified and experienced employees worldwide are authorities in their respective fields. .......
Royalty Enterprises USA Management
Dr. Victor O. Olatoye President & Chief Executive Officer ceo @ royaltyenterprisesusa.com
Royalty Enterprises USA and all its subsidiaries are under the direction and leadership of Dr. Victor O. Olatoye. He founded the company in 1994. Royalty Enterprises started as a small consulting company and grew to the giant that it is today with over eight subsidiaries.
Dr. Olatoye is a visionary and opportunist and that is why he is the President and the Chief Executive Officer.
African Team
Mr. Kayode Jegede
Mr. Tony Akala
Mr. A. Immomium
Royalty Enterprises USA among Subsidiaries
Royalty Enterprises USA Club Royale
Royalty Enterprises USA We are a multi-services subsidiary of Royalty Enterprises USA, which was founded in 1994, but actually started to operate in 2003 with the award of the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) project. Royalty Enterprises USA has a 51% stake in this company and we are in a talk with the third largest bank in Nigeria for a 15% investment.
Royalty International has one subsidiary, St Victor's International Nigeria Limited (SVIN) to handle all commodities trading in Nigeria.
_________________________________ (formatting is better at the linked post)
That movie really explained a few things to me about the world around us. Even if it was mostly fiction!
Most movies are little else. That one is no exception.
I got irked at the scene where Yuri busts in on his brother who had just laid out a massive line of coke on the glass coffee table in the shape of the Ukraine, planning to snort his way around the whole thing, and Yuri hollers something like, "You'll be dead before you get to Kiev!"
He shoulda said Sevastopol or something. A real Ukrainian would know that even Teddy K. wouldn't have got to Kiev the way the thing was laid out.
This and other such things sucked all the realism from the Yuri Orlov character. You could say I'm nitpicky. But I do it because I don't want fiction to replace reality in my own head. Especially the fiction dreamed up by Hollywood leftists.
Sounds like you have a real connection to Ukraine. I adopted my daughter from Dnipropetrovsk in 2004. Man I love that country. It’s pretty rough in a lot of ways, but I loved the people there and all things Ukrainian. I’ve spent time in Russia as well...out to Siberia (Nizneangarsk) and time in Moscow...what a great place. If I ever find myself single again (God forbid for I love my wife), I will go to Ukraine.
As for the movie, I really liked it but it was way sensationalized.
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