25 years jail for arms dealer

A RUSSIAN arms dealer known as the Merchant of Death has been sentenced to 25 years in a New York court after being convicted on terrorism charges.

Viktor Bout was found guilty in November of selling arms to a Colombian rebel group. But the ex-Soviet officer argued he was a political prisoner, and shouted: “It is a lie” during sentencing.

Prosecutors said although Bout described himself as a businessman he was a criminal who would supply dictators with weapons they could turn against their own people.

He was originally arrested in Thailand but was extradited to the US for trial in late 2010.