Viktor Bout developed an array of cargo businesses that helped him move all sorts of military hardware around to his buyers, many of whom were located in Africa and Asia (via Global Policy Forum). He was known to have provided arms to rebel forces in such countries as Congo, Liberia, and Angola, per Reuters. Bout had no qualms about who he sold weapons to, including members of Taliban in Afghanistan.
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Initially Bout had been selling arms to Afghanistan’s government forces, but he changed sides after the Taliban held one of his planes hostage. Ever the skilled dealer, he negotiated the release of his aircraft and landed himself a new customer, according to Frontline. There were allegations that one of Bout’s business associates may have sold chemical weapons to Osama bin Laden and that some of Bout’s planes may have been used to deliver these materials to Al Qaeda.
