Thursday, November 3, 2011

Bad Guns!
Good Job by the Feds!
Another Good Job by the Obama Administration!

From MSNBC.com and the AP:

Merchant of Death guilty over trying to sell arms to terrorists

New York City federal jury convicts notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout

updated 11/3/2011 3:23:27 AM ET
A notorious Russian arms dealer accused of evading authorities for years while fueling violence in war zones around the globe was convicted Wednesday in swift fashion in a U.S. courtroom on charges he conspired to sell weaponry to South American terrorists.
Viktor Bout, known as the Merchant of Death, looked straight ahead and showed no emotion as a jury forewoman read guilty verdicts on each of four conspiracy counts — a conviction that could result in a life sentence. Jurors had deliberated only six hours over two days in federal court in Manhattan.
The outcome was immediately applauded by those who labored to bring Bout to justice before he was finally snared in an elaborate Drug Enforcement Administration sting in Thailand in 2008 and — over the objections of Russia — extradited last year to the United States.
"The guy was without a doubt one of the most dangerous of his kind on the face of the earth, and it's reassuring to know he'll be locked up behind bars where he belongs," said Michael Braun a former DEA official involved in the investigation. "If he had been allowed to carry on, he would have gone right back doing his dirty business."
The evidence proved that Bout, 44, was someone "ready to sell a weapons arsenal that would be the envy of some small countries," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.
Read the original indictment against Bout (.PDF)
Before Bout left court, he hugged one of his attorneys. The defense team said there would be an appeal.
"He's resolute," defense lawyer Kenneth Kaplan said of his client. "He's a strong man. He accepts the verdict and is hopeful."
For nearly two decades, the former Soviet military officer built a worldwide air cargo operation, amassing a fleet of more than 60 transport planes, hundreds of companies and a fortune reportedly in excess of $6 billion — exploits that were the main inspiration for the Nicholas Cage film "Lord of War."
Story: 'Merchant of Death' pleads not guilty in N.Y. court His aircraft flew from Afghanistan to Angola, carrying everything from raw minerals to gladiolas, drilling equipment to frozen fish. But the network's specialty, according to authorities, was black market arms — assault rifles, ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles, helicopter gunships and a full range of sophisticated weapons systems, almost always sourced from Russian stocks or from Eastern European factories.
In the months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, U.S., British and United Nations authorities heard growing reports that Bout's planes and maintenance operations, then headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, were aiding the Taliban while it sheltered al-Qaida militants in Afghanistan. Bout later denied that he worked with the Taliban or al-Qaida — and denied ever participating in black market arms deals.
Read U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's full statement on verdict (.PDF)
'We have the same enemy': America In 2008, while under economic sanctions and a U.N. travel ban, Bout was approached in Moscow by a close associate about supplying weapons on the black market to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
Bout was told that the group wanted to use drug-trafficking proceeds to pay for surface-to-air missiles and other weapons, making it clear it wanted to attack helicopter pilots and other Americans in Colombia, prosecutors said.
Neither man knew at the time that the two FARC officials they were dealing with were undercover informants working for the DEA, said the associate, South African businessman Andrew Smulian, who took the witness stand for the government as part of a plea deal.
At first, Bout dismissed the idea of a deal, Smulian testified.
"He said he didn't deal with drug dealers," Smulian said.
Smulian testified that Bout overcame his doubts and agreed that for a down payment of $20 million he would arrange for cargo planes to air-drop 100 tons of weapons into Colombia. Bout finalized the phony deal with the two DEA informants in a bugged hotel room in Bangkok in March 2008.
Jurors heard an informant on one tape saying: "We want to knock down those American sons of bitches."
"Kill them, and kick them out of my country," the informant says. "They don't care where they go anymore. They go here, they go there. They go wherever they want. Why?"
Bout is quoted as saying on the tapes: "Yes, yes, yes. They act as if ... as if it was their home."
One of the informants, Guatemala-born Carlos Sagastume, testified at trial that during the conversation Bout was writing on a sheet of paper a list of weapons he could provide and remarked, "And we have the same enemy."
Asked on the witness stand what that meant, the informant responded, "He was referring to the Americans."
Lawyers for Bout had offered what the government dismissively referred to as the "planes defense," claiming their client had no intention of selling any weapons but acted as though he would so he could unload two old cargo planes for $5 million.
In closing arguments, the defense sought to convince the jury the DEA had framed a legitimate businessman by building its case on recorded conversations that were open to interpretation and never resulted in the exchange of any arms or money.
U.S. authorities "don't have anything," defense attorney Albert Dayan said. "All they have is speculation, innuendo and conjecture."
Prosecutor Brendan McGuire countered there was ample proof that Bout "did everything he could to show he could be the one-stop shop for FARC."
Sentencing was set for Feb. 8.
___
Braun reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

21 comments:

  1. Great job, Russian national smuggling Russian Arms (with tacit Russian govt. approval) to terrorists and why exactly didn't we just put a AGM-114N-Hellfire thru his limo's sunroof and call it a day... he's not an American citizen.....US$68,000 vs $2-3million for a trial....

    But, I guess the FEDS need some good news since more Fast and Furious guns are turning up.....

    http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_central_southern_az/other/pinal-county-sheriff-says-2-guns-tied-to-%27fast-and-furious%27

    http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/01/2482837/az-sheriff-says-2-guns-tied-to.html

    http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x475685

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/01/arizona-sheriff-says-2-guns-found-in-bust-linked-to-fast-and-furious/#ixzz1cZKUOltR

    Good job Mr Prez, way to put hat staggering intellect to work.....

    http://doubleplusundead.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/obama-brain-trust.jpg?w=368&h=460

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  2. And they didn't seize his guns......

    What the hell.....

    http://cemeterysgunblob.com/2011/11/02/car-searched/

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  3. Do I hear the creak of wooden spoked wheels on axles greased with animal fat as Tommy starts to circle the wagons?

    Tom, buddy, you and a lot of other folks get the idea that all of us who don't equate gunz with manlinezz are thrilled with the way the ATF does things. Well, sooprize, sooprize, a lot of us ain't. See if we had rational rules in place to keep assholes from making money by buying gunz in AZ or anywhere else and funneling them to criminalz then we wouldn't have to worry about the ATF doing some pretty boneheaded shit.

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  4. Tommy:

    This Viktor Bout character, btw, was CONVICTED this week. He was ARRESTED in Thailand in March 2008 by people who worked for your former supreme commander George W. Bush. So, yeah, why didn't we just blow up his limo on the streets of Bangkok or maybe take out he entire hotel with a Hellfire? Hmmm, maybe because we don't, currently, have as shitty relations with the Thai gummint (who are pretty nasty themselves) as we do with the Taliban. But, then, like most gunzloonz you aren't too strong on the rule of law v KapowKapow Justice.

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  5. "folks get the idea that all of us who don't equate gunz with manlinezz are thrilled with the way the ATF does things. Well, sooprize, sooprize, a lot of us ain't. "

    It must be your silence on such matters that makes people think that way. If you really do oppose Fast and Furious and other similar botched ATF operations, you really haven't done a very good job of letting your opinion be known.

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  6. Not my real name, because I make so little sense that I'm afraid I'd lose my job if people found out what a moron I really am:

    You think that? You really think that. Tell ya what, call up the ATF, FBI, CIA, IRS or any other agency that is in the business of regulating, collecting taxes or prosecuting the business of gummint and tell them you don't like what they're doing. Let me know when they give a fuck.

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  7. Thailand in March 2008 by people who worked for your former supreme commander George W. Bush.

    Well Fvck that pisses me off even more since 2003-2008 that m-effer was out and about in all kind of disreputable places and could have had a thermobaric auto tune-up, damn that Bush pisses me off.

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  8. You think that? You really think that. Tell ya what, call up the ATF, FBI, CIA, IRS or any other agency that is in the business of regulating, collecting taxes or prosecuting the business of gummint and tell them you don't like what they're doing. Let me know when they give a fuck.

    That is why we elect congressmen like Issa and Grassley, to do the calling up for us......

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  9. Issa and Grassley make some of the stupidest comments out of all of Congress - which is an impressive, if really negative accomplishment.

    Neither has accomplished anything of value during their idiotic hearings; they are bad political theater. Not cheap political theater - rather they have been a total waste of a lot of taxpayer money, a LOT of taxpayer dollars.

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  10. So, Tommy, did you call them up? Did they wait until you told them to go after that big, bad ATF or are you just sort of being a groupie?

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  11. More F&F guns...

    http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/01/2482837/az-sheriff-says-2-guns-tied-to.html

    Then allow the DOJ docs to be examined at the DOJ by investigators.....

    And Why hasn't Obama called for a special prosecutor...... what is he afraid of?

    So, Tommy, did you call them up? Did they wait until you told them to go after that big, bad ATF or are you just sort of being a groupie?

    Any more than you and your Obama worship.....

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  12. Issa and Grassley make some of the stupidest comments out of all of Congress - which is an impressive, if really negative accomplishment.

    “The new proposed regulation stands in stark contrast to both the president’s and your prior statements about FOIA, transparency, and open government,” Grassley wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder. “In fact, this policy directly contradicts your many statements, to me and other members of the Judiciary Committee, as part of your nomination hearing, that you support transparency of the executive branch.”

    Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/03/justice-department-drops-controversial-foia-rule/#ixzz1cnCNEfRX


    http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/03/justice-department-drops-controversial-foia-rule/

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  13. Oh, Tommy, I'm afraid you don't know me as well as you like to think you do. I haven't worshipped Mr. Obama since, like, well, never. But I understand that you think the only alternative to loving some piece of shit like Shrubya would be to love Mr. Obama. You're wrong, too bad, so sad.

    So, your answer is, "No.", you haven't called any of those agencies and let them know that you're mad as hell and gonna just keep on takin' it anyway?

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  14. You know the weird thing about the Fast and Furious scandal, the way the pro-gun guys seem to equate it with the supposed fallacy of gun control. It's as if they think the ATF is somehow synonymous with gun control.

    The fact is it was just another fucked up bureaucratic mess that's been trumped up by the gun-rights fanatics.

    Remember what preceded it. There was a lot of press about the unscrupulous gun dealers in those border states. The over-emphasis on the ATF scandal has been a fairly successful attempt to divert attention from the real and underlying problem that persists still.

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  15. Little Mikeyb, "said,Remember what preceded it. There was a lot of press about the unscrupulous gun dealers in those border states. The over-emphasis on the ATF scandal has been a fairly successful attempt to divert attention from the real and underlying problem that persists still.

    So you have a problem with unscrupulous gun dealers in those border states....

    what do you do,

    A) Set up a cooperative sting operation with those same unscrupulous gun dealers, with video feed and direct contact with those same unscrupulous gun dealers, tell them to allow gun sales known criminals to proceed....

    http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1343:issa-releases-documents-showing-intimate-involvement-of-atf-director-in-controversial-gunwalking-operation-&catid=22:releasesstatements

    • A third - and perhaps the most disturbing – e-mail from April 12, 2010, indicates that Acting Director Melson was very much in the weeds with Operation Fast and Furious. After a detailed briefing of the program by the ATF Phoenix Field Division, Acting Director Melson had a plethora of follow-up questions that required additional research to answer. As the document indicates,Mr. Melson was interested in the IP Address for hidden cameras located inside cooperating gun shops. With this information, Acting Director Melson was able to sit at his desk in Washington and – himself – watch a live feed of the straw buyers entering the gun stores to purchase dozens of AK-47 variants.

    or.....

    B) Set up a sting with phony straw-men to prove that these gun dealers unscrupulous...... and close them down....

    Which one did the DOJ choose?

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  16. Thomas, when you say something like this

    "So you have a problem with unscrupulous gun dealers in those border states...."

    you're associatiing me with the ATF. My general complaint about this argument is that you guys have from the beginning tried to smear the gun control movement because of it. That doesn't make sense, but in your confidence-man slick talk you pretend that it's a given. It's not.

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  17. Mikeb302000:

    I think that Tommy is getting a little upset about he way he's addressed by me and is taking it out on you. Isn't that just typical of a coward?

    Tommy and mikeyw and weer'dybeardy and the rest of the troglodytes that like to hurl invective at people who have reasonable ideas about how to reduce the volume of weapons being diverted from legal manufacture to illegal ownership are always upset when their true agendas are laid bare by folks like you. It upsets them that people won't just take their word for their noble intentions. Craven cowards is what they are but they bluster and bullshit like bullies everywhere have always done. I wouldn't mind so much if the whining four year olds that they are weren't armed to the teeth.

    Tommy, pal, you still haven't bothered to explain how it's Obama's fault that the ATF arrested the russian instead of killing him--considering that it happened when he was still a junior senator from IL. I mean that is some STRONG fuckin' mojo to be able to do that. Or, was your comment:

    A. Mean spirited and indicative of your reflexive hatred of Mr. Obama

    OR

    3.) Just plain stupid?

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  18. You are right I was wrong, it was not Obama's fault that Shrubby didn't kill the evil Russian gun runner, but it is still a shame that Us.GOV didn't kill him, when they had the chance and stop him from running all those mean ole guns.

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  20. you're associatiing me with the ATF. My general complaint about this argument is that you guys have from the beginning tried to smear the gun control movement because of it. That doesn't make sense, but in your confidence-man slick talk you pretend that it's a given. It's not.

    Do you know what else does not make sense, smearing the gun ownership movement because of F&F and guns traced to FFL's because the BATFE has never shown the time to crime stats on the guns recovered or the actual weapons count and the stateside FFL's or shut down the FFL's that are selling all these guns to Mexico.


    I was asking you a question to the actions of the ATF and what would you think would be the best course of action, that would stop the southbound illegal gun running that you claim that you claim originates from the exposure of unscrupulous gun dealers, as the originators of all these gun sales.

    Show me the press origins prior to the time-frame of F&F.....

    The DOJ needs to show Congressional investigators the un-redacted docs in regard to this.

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  21. The DOJ needs to show Congressional investigators the un-redacted docs in regard to this.

    November 6, 2011 8:09 PM

    Funny, the same thing was said re: Dick Cheney showing his work when he had all them ol' bidneth types come in to help design the U.S. energy policy.

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