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Thursday, Jan 10, 2013 3:45 PM UTC

US: Arms dealer’s associate arrested in Australia

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Topics: From the Wires,

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. prosecutor says an associate of a notorious Russian arms dealer has been arrested in Australia.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced Thursday in New York that Syrian-born American Richard Ammar Chichakli is in custody.

He was arrested Wednesday on charges that he conspired with Viktor Bout (boot) and others to try to buy aircraft from two companies in the United States. The prosecutor says such a purchase would violate economic sanctions.

Bout is a former Soviet air officer. He was dubbed the “Merchant of Death” because of his 1990s-era notoriety for running a fleet of aging Soviet-era cargo planes to conflict-ridden hotspots in Africa. He also inspired the arms-dealer character played by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 film “Lord of War.”

Bout was sentenced last year to 25 years in prison.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

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  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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