By Larry Neumeister and Stephen Braun, The Associated PressNEW YORK -- An associate of a notorious Russian arms dealer was arrested in Australia and charged with conspiring to buy planes so that weapons could be transported to the world's bloodiest conflicts, a U.S. prosecutor announced Thursday.
Syrian-born American Richard Ammar Chichakli was arrested Wednesday at the request of U.S. authorities on charges that he conspired with Russian arms merchant Viktor Bout and others to try to buy the planes from two U.S. companies.(http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110111-viktor-bout-file-jsw-10a.380;380;7;70;0.jpg)Sukree Sukplang / Reuters fileSuspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout speaks to the media after arriving at a Bangkok criminal court August 20, 2010, ahead of an expected appeal court verdict on whether to extradite him to the U.S.His arrest was first confirmed by the Australian Fairfax Media news organization, which reported Thursday that he was arrested in Melbourne after applying for a post in the government Protective Service Office, a law enforcement agency. The news service reported that he said nothing during a Thursday hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
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