NEW-YORK, October 19 - RAPSI. Arms dealer Viktor Bout's U.S. attorney Albert Dayan has presented to the Russian Embassy in Washington his arguments in favor of a new investigation into the U.S. government's conduct in obstructing his trial in Thailand, his arrest and his extradition to the United States.

The US defense attorney for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout has submitted to the Russian Embassy in Washington DC arguments for a new investigation into the role played by the US government in Bout's Thai trial, his arrest, and his extradition to the US.

The findings could serve as grounds for the case's withdrawal.

Dayan told RIA Novosti that a new inquest is impossible without Russian political and financial support.

The proposal has been made on behalf of Dayan and his client.

Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by US agents and extradited to the United States in November 2010 after spending more than 2.5 years in a Thai prison. The Federal District Court of New York found him guilty of conspiring to kill US officials and citizens, of acquiring and intending to sell Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles, and providing support to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which is considered a terrorist group by the United States.
Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Bout's extradition was unlawful and his sentence biased, and announced its intention to seek his return home. His attorney said the Crime Suppression Division arrested Bout in breach of the law on suspicion that he planned terrorist acts against Thailand. The accusation was revoked several days later as unfounded. Moreover, FARC has never been regarded in Thailand as a terrorist organization.

Nevertheless, Bout was left in custody on new grounds - the US extradition request.

Dayan holds that the then-US ambassador in Bangkok and high-ranking State Department officials pressured and bribed Thai officials.

Bout's defense team plans to conduct its own probe in Thailand if it receives the support of the Russian government. At the same time, the lawyers plan to file a motion to secure the extension of the deadline for an appeal.