Does Official Minsk Help Columbian militants?

• 11.03.2008, 12:55

A 46-year-old British citizen Andrew Smulian, an associate of a suspected Russian arms dealer Viktar Bout has been arrested in New York. As well as Viktor Bout, he was charged with conspiracy for allegedly trying to smuggle missiles and rocket launchers to militants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Andrew Smulian, appeared Monday in a New York City courtroom to face similar charges, prosecutors in New York said. Smulian hasn’t pleaded guilty in dealing with the FARC, which is considered a terrorist organization by the US. Smulian faces 15 years in prison.

“In the case of the FARC which does not exist by itself, but with the support of Venezuela, Ecuador, it is not excluded that with the support of Russia and Belarus as well, the US understood that military operations by Colombian government could hardly defeat militants. That is why the US is trying to help Colombia to neutralize them by absence of resources. And what is the main resource of militants? It’s certainly weapons,” an expert of “Evrazia” portal Vladimir Nikitin comments.

As we have informed, Viktor Bout, who has been called “The Merchant of Death,” was arrested in Thailand last week at a Bangkok luxury hotel in a U.S.-led sting operation. He was charged with conspiracy for allegedly trying to smuggle missiles and rocket launchers to a rebel group in Colombia that is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.