DEMARCHE TO AFRICAN STATES ON VIKTOR BOUT

UNCLAS STATE 088230 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PTER CO RS TH SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AFRICAN STATES ON VIKTOR BOUT REF: BANGKOK 1998 ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request. Action addressees are requested to urge host governments at the highest appropriate levels to weigh-in with the Royal Thai Government (RTG) to support the extradition of accused arms smuggler Viktor Bout to the United States. Posts may draw from the points in para 4 but should not leave the points behind as a non-paper. ¶2. (SBU) Background: Viktor Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008, where he has remained in custody pending resolution of a request for extradition to the United States to face trial in New York for conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and officers; acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles; and provide material support in the form of millions of dollars of military-grade weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),a designated foreign terrorist organization. Until his arrest in Thailand, Bout had not been prosecuted for arms dealing, but has long been suspected of trafficking arms to central and western Africa and is the subject of UN Sanctions for those activities. ¶3. (SBU) On August 11, 2009, a Thai judge denied the U.S. extradition request on the grounds, among others, that the FARC is a political, rather than terrorist, organization, and that its commission of kidnappings and murders constituted protected "political offenses" because the FARC had a purported purpose of political change in Colombia. The judge also ruled that he did not find it credible that Bout, perhaps the most notorious illicit arms trafficker in the world, could supply the quantity and type of weapons about which he was negotiating when he was arrested in Thailand. The Thai Attorney General's office is appealing the ruling, and we are requesting that the Government of Colombia as well as the governments of other countries affected by Bout's arms smuggling network engage the Royal Thai Government (RTG) directly to underscore the significance of this case to the larger international community and help ensure that the RTG provides full support for the appeal. ¶4. (SBU) Begin points: -- The United States is pursuing the extradition of the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout from Thailand to face charges for conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and officers; acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles; and provide material support to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated foreign terrorist organization. -- The Royal Thai Government (RTG) supports Bout's extradition, but a Thai judge ruled against the request, asserting among other things that the FARC is a political, rather than terrorist, organization. The judge also maintained that the evidence against Bout was not credible, and called into question Bout's capacity to provide large amounts of weapons and munitions. -- Your country was one of those victimized by Bout's illicit arms trafficking operations. We urge you to weigh-in with the RTG at a senior level to highlight the scope of Bout's activities in this region, the ability of his organization to trade in a high volume of sophisticated arms around the world, and the role his operations played in supporting and perpetuating conflict in Africa. It would be most effective if this message could be delivered directly to Thai PM Thai Prime Minister Abhisit or Thai Foreign Minister Kasit. -- Additional point for Freetown and Monrovia: We request that your government remind the RTG of the various UN Security Council resolutions addressing violence in Liberia and Sierra Leone, including UNSCR 1521 (2003) and UNSCR 1343 (2001) It would be helpful if your government could remind the RTG that Viktor Bout is listed on the UN's assets freeze list (http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1521/1532 afl.htm) for violating UNSC resolution 1343 by providing arms, supporting former Liberian President Charles Taylor's efforts to destabilize Sierra Leone and seeking illicit access to diamonds. End points. ¶8. (U) Point of contact for this issue is EAP/MLS Demian Smith, email smithd3@state.gov, phone: 202-647-0036. Please slug responses for EAP/MLS, EUR/RUS, AF/W, AF/C and S/CT. Department requests action by Tuesday, August 25. CLINTON