Albert Dayan, a lawyer for Russian alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout, sent an appeal to the New York Federal Court asking to close the case and calling it as ‘politicized.’
He said that Bout’s extradition from Thailand to the United States was conducted under the pressure from the White House and the U.S. Congress on Thai authorities.
Bout, 44, is being held in a New York prison while he awaits trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October on charges including conspiring to supply arms to terrorist groups and conspiring to kill U.S. nationals. He denies all the charges against him.
The alleged arms dealer could face anything from 25 years to life in prison if convicted. The trial is scheduled for October 11.
NEW YORK, May 28 (RIA Novosti)