US PROSECUTORS have resumed their case against Russian air cargo operator and accused arms dealer Viktor Bout, of using his air cargo business to deliver weapons sales to unapproved rebel and government forces.

    All Headline News said Bout is being tried in a federal court in New York on four charges of conspiring to commit terrorism that could result in a life sentence for him.

    He has been called the "merchant of death" by African leaders who accuse him of arming rebels in Angola, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Liberia. He also is accused of providing arms to the Afghan government when ruled by the Taliban.

    Witnesses against him include a paid informant and a former colleague who pleaded guilty, but is cooperating with prosecutors to provide evidence.

    Another witness is a former South African military agent who can be heard on tape saying he "mowed down" blacks during his country's apartheid policies.

    Bout, 44, is a former Russian air force officer whose extradition to the United States from Thailand was bitterly opposed by the Russian government.

    He claims to be a legitimate businessman who transported cargo to conflict areas under government contracts.

Bout was arrested by Thai police in a Bangkok hotel after undercover agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) posed as rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia trying to buy weapons. They secretly recorded their negotiations.

    Bout allegedly offered to sell them 700 surface-to-air missiles, land mines and ultra-light aircraft that could be fire missiles and grenade-launchers. He also was said to have offered them 5,000 assault rifles with ammunition.

    Bout said he could air drop the weapons into Colombia and offered to sell the undercover agents two aircraft to ship the arms. He said he could train the rebels to use the weapons.

    The DEA agents led Bout to believe they wanted the weapons to help Colombian rebels shoot down American military helicopters operating in Colombia, hence the charge that he conspired to kill Americans.

    He was held in a high-security prison in Thailand for two years before being extradited to the United States in November 2010. Bout denies the charges.

(source:http://www.shippingonline.cn/news/newsList.asp?classname=News)