Arms dealer to be extradited to India

Wuthikorn, alias Willy Naru, who holds Thai citizenship, was arrested in August 2013 at India’s request for allegedly brokering arms deals between Chinese suppliers and the Anthony Shimray, a top operative of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isac-Muivah) or NSCN-IM, a rebel group active in India’s Northeast.
Interrogation of Shimray, who was arrested in Patna in northern India in October 2010, indicated that Willy had helped the rebellious operative to purchase weapons and ammunitions worth US$1.2 million (Bt42.54 million). Indian intelligence traced their contact and found that they had made the deal via email and an amount of $800,000 had already been paid.
Willy runs a spa business in Thailand, allegedly as a cover for his illegal activities.
The Naga group, which has taken up arms against India for decades, has always sought weapons supplies from China through agents in Thailand.
According to a recent Indian Express report, Shimray allegedly told Willy that he wanted to procure 1,000 pieces of arms including AK series automatic rifles, light machine guns, pistols, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and gave him the list of weapons required.
The Thai primary court ordered the extradition of Willy last year. He appealed and the verdict of appeal court yesterday was final. According to Thai extradition law, a defendant has no right of further appeal. His lawyer Nakorn Chompuchart said he would urge Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to exercise his authority to review the extradition.
“I know the Appeal Court’s verdict is final but the 2008 Thai extradition law authorises the Cabinet to have some say before carrying out the extradition,” he said.
The lawyer said he would send a letter to the premier asking the Thai government to prosecute Willy in Thailand, rather than send him for trial in an Indian court.
“We might also consider sending an appeal to the United Nations asking for human rights protection,” he said.