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Meet the real-life 'Lord of War'

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SCMP Reporter

Who?

Who is Viktor Bout? He's a 43-year-old former Soviet air force pilot. Bout, who is nicknamed the 'Merchant of Death,' is said to have inspired the Hollywood movie Lord of War starring Nicholas Cage.

The United States wants Bout extradited. It accuses the Russian of being a leading arms dealer. He allegedly sold weapons to militants in war zones worldwide by using a fleet of cargo planes. Bout says he is innocent and insists he ran a lawful cargo business.

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What?

What is extradition? It's a legal process that allows criminals arrested in one country to be sent to another so they can be tried there for crimes against that second country.

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When?

When will he be extradited? A Thai court ordered Bout's extradition last August, but legal issues have held up the process. A new ruling has now cleared the way for him to be extradited to the US.

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