the be. the be . the be breaking news the russian man convicted of arms trafficking was done since just moments and moments ago in a new york courtroom a live report on the sentence handed down to victor brew coming up. plus the bloodshed continues in syria this despite these promises from both sides and the un's increasing involvement in the conflict or anything and the violence at this point are following the crisis and we'll bring you the latest. and

keep your friends close and your enemies closer these days it seems the u.s. has taken that moderates a hard especially when it comes to dealing with china for how long can this tap dance continue for once the steps on the other's toes will question more. it's thursday april fifth eight pm here in washington d.c. i'm liz wahl and you're watching r.t. . we begin this hour with breaking news the man dubbed the merchant of death sentence of twenty five years in federal court just a short time ago business russian businessman victor boot was found guilty back in november for selling millions of dollars worth of weapons to terrorists and while he has become infamous in the u.s. his supporters say he is a victim of entrapment and never stood a chance at fair trial. for further update on the court verdict r.t.

correspondent on a. is in new york with the latest so i understand tell us about what went on the courtroom today twenty five years was what he was handed was that was expected. it was kind of a battle between twenty five years behind bars versus a life sentence we do know that the twenty five years was a minimum term that was being considered considering the charges that were that guilt was the route was found guilty of including conspiring to kill u.s. citizens and conspiring to cooperate with the fark a group that's deemed a terrorist in the united states but not by the united nations and other countries and the life in sentence was the term the prosecution had been pushing for intently until the last minute so whether or not twenty five years was a surprise or not is a question because that was definitely something that was on the table i guess a boot was hoping that it would be

a minimum sentence were actually his defense team was asking that the charges against him be dropped altogether now talk about the way things kind of played out in the courtroom what was the mood like. well liz you know when we walked into the courtroom today he seemed to be in a pretty good mood he gave his wife all our thumbs up he was smiling he did speak and addressed the court for the first time throughout this trial before boot would say that he did not need to say anything to the court room because he's an innocent man and he wanted to leave it to the prosecution to prove him guilty and today however he did address the court for the first time through an interpreter and what one of the things that brought the attention of journalists to was that he looked at the drug enforcement administration's officials who were sitting in the front row and he said to them the truth is known to these people pointing at them and he said let god forgive you you'll answer to him not me and that was something that was pretty powerful and he also said that he never intended to kill anybody in the

united states and he did reiterate that he's grateful to those people who are spectral to him in the united states so would you say that he seemed remorseful or . how would you describe the way he was handling it was a lose a bit to throw this entire trial maintain his innocence every single day he said he believed to be treated as a hunted deer he said his case was politicized he said that washington thought up this operation a decade ago and spend millions of dollars trying to hunt him down so i don't think there was any remorse in his words because victor good never considered that he had done anything wrong so this is a man who holds the truth who initially come out and he is standing by his in a sense any hope for an appeal and what that process will look like. well that's a process that's usually pretty lengthy defense team does say that they do have two

weeks to file an appeal they are planning to do that his lawyer alberto yon said they hope that this appeal would be successful however earlier victor boo did give several interviews where he said that he knows how lengthy a process that can be and he doubts that after such a really a case last in the course of public opinion and appeal could be successful but we've heard from him and his family members many times times over say that he will fight his battle and continue to try to return to russia and leave the united states where he's never set foot before this trial took place on the stasi i thank you very much for keeping us updated over there new york that was our correspondent anastasio. well before sentencing back there blue spoke with the voice of russia he was per se about his time in lockup here in the u.s. and he plans to write a memoir and the future take a listen. i don't have any hidden secrets i don't have been part of any hidden

so-called secret so you know the double speak of the a who is now became a well known agent for hire when you need to get with that somebody you just give him a call and those are perfect matches to get anybody into trouble because they are so perfect that kind of the manipulation so i don't know anything to write about i'm not planning to write in a memoir so called i don't waste my time for this to sort of you know as we called in russian you know on getting the paper dirty mr blue did with the movie lord of war starring nicholas cage played a role in your trial or better yet the entire d.a. operation to arrest you listen there is a problem with my understanding of the world believe in english you know i did not believe i know it because look at the even an agent of the first arrest others are

always told a movie about you besides i did let us take a picture with you it's like a trophy i'm for them like you know how to be a home to kilt and how they won't take a picture with a no some you know wild animal and now they catch on they're going to put on their kitchen and show their cheats on the grandkids and always wanted that panama but tuna first place created the me for about that animal they don't care they don't want to know the truth they believe all they've been you know eating oh what in the fat with the mass media how mainstream media this country. they can manufacture jurisdiction like the d. they can manufacture nexuses that can going to fetch a lot of legal stuff but they can't manufacture truth truce is there and regardless their opinion the truth is very simple and square i'm innocent i don't commit any crime there's no crime to sit and talk if you're going to apply the same in all standards to me then you're going to you know jail all those arms dealers in

america who selling their arms and then you drop a killing americans they are involved even though to me i mean few feel this is a fair and just to love a person all that because he talked about something without doing something it's a double standards it's a photography. and it's you know naked stage whisper but have you learned anything about results on custody for this many years i mean i think you might have discovered about yourself something new and well i wouldn't say that i discovered something new i may be right little bit diddling myself but definitely what i had before i'm still the same person which i've been before rest and i hope to be the same last i released and that was a victory speaking for the voice of russia in that interview mr miller went on to say about american prosecutors can tell have not right here.

oh little while ago investigative journalist george rapp joined us he has been following the paper closely and give us his thoughts on the sentencing. as far as lisa bloom is concerned i mean this is the least you know sentence you could get i mean the problem is if it was a would have been a life sentence and federal prison system in america there's no. you know life is life you can't get it reduced for good behavior so this is the you know twenty five years was the least amount by law the judge was able to give him and it didn't do very interesting point the judge made it explicitly clear because she explained why she senses for example it's very high because the prosecutors pushed hard for her life a life in prison and. the judge said that if it wasn't for the d.n.a. d.d. a sting operation which was actually term da sting operation relentless if it

wasn't for the sting operation she said there was no evidence in her in a court room during a whole trial or in a pre trial that mr blue would have tried to you know. do any terrorist activities towards america that's what his charges basically stood up in court say for the first time and he told the judge that he's innocent he said in russian and there's a translator but it's been a judge you know it was actually clearly a judge said you know there was no no evidence that he would have committed any type of crimes against america any terrorist act crimes or any activities at all if it was not for a sting operation so i think it was a very important point. now george i understand that well that you know that have perished in thailand and he said i have just last night can you tell us about your interaction with hand what was his mood with like a lot of going through his mind. well you know mr bill is extremely intelligent he's very realistic and he knew exactly space and you know he knew that he could

possibly get sentenced to life so he he didn't have any you know farce hopes about what would happen today it was actually a person has been sentenced the next day it was actually in a conspiracy i saw him freezing with his wife and his daughter so he was happy to see them as the first time that we actually got a chance to speak since i saw him thailand in two thousand and ten because in the courtroom you know we try to communicate but you know it's i was told that i can't speak they're not you know during a court in a courtroom so i was good to see him and since a guy moved to brooklyn it was what attorneys call a contact visit where you can actually touch him and and see him a fortnight before he was not in a maximum security prison in manhattan and it was only behind glass and steel that you were able to talk to him or see him so now you know when i was talking to him you know he was flanked by his wife and his daughter he had his arm around his wife all up so it was it was a nice visit he's much happier right now in the current facility because it's much

less secure he came to us he had no shackles on you know on its feet or his arms and you know he's he a he has access to outside on a day has he has access to e-mails not internet but he does have access to e-mails now the question remains what's going to happen so i'm after today the judge made recommendations to the bureau of prisons for example to stay in the tri state area so his family can visit him while they're here they're only here for certain on time because the visa regulations and also so the attorneys can visit him and also the judge recommended that he not be put inside maximum security now the bureau of prisons has the final say what where they put him but however from what i understand they cannot just play some california without explain to the judge why they did not adhere to her recommendations so hopefully he'll stay in the tri state area of. you know he should be expected to be moved anywhere from two to four weeks and it could be sooner it's a guessing game at this point but hopefully will stay close by for his attorneys

now george i know that you have been following this case for quite some time on as we mentioned earlier you first met when you met with him back in thailand what what drew you to this case. well you know it's just interesting i was in thailand and. it was my fiance at the time and she happens to be russian and i was just a coincidence but. i was in thailand in bangkok actually when he got arrested it was front page of all the newspapers so you couldn't miss the case unless you weren't watching t.v. or arena newspapers at all it was such big news in thailand and then i was i went back to india and then i came back to thailand and this is when you know over a year later and the trial was still going on and i remembered the big air station here was coming up and i think october two thousand and ten. against you know against us for sex addition to america and i didn't see anything in the papers and it was just struck me as odd so i started to write about the case and then i got

contacted by some investigative journalist daniel estulin and other people and then for i knew it i found myself in thailand and through mutual friends that knew victor i was able to meet him in a courtroom the courtroom in thailand was a much less secure or had less restrictions it doesn't in the united states so i was able actually go out to him meet them talk to him myself and several other journalists as well and in the prison system it was easier to visit him and i basically just need to show id that wasn't for me to be filled out back on check cetera so i just kind of fell into the case you know and and i met him and and from what i read about victor boot and i spoke to him and her we have to say and i heard from his own mouth you know it didn't add up and you know if you read the facts in and find out to do some digging and don't take what the media you know the base of the characters fascination that was built up again spectacle by the media

and really you know study the case you know it's very clear cut that in the us media was out to get affected victor boot by any means necessary you know so he was it was just by accident now law many questions surrounding this case over whether or not it was possible for him to get a fair trial what do you think. no i see absolutely not. the problem the problem is it's just like i would die and today mentioned you know that one of the jury is saw the movie the lord award she claims that she didn't know that it was about victor boot until after she read about him after the verdict was announced so this is this it's been a huge media campaign against him in this country has been going on for years and there's been millions of dollars spent on this case some i mean there's been estimates as well as as much as half a billion dollars but the operational interests and it is da operations spanned over three continents you know there is the obvious these involved with their face

they use the f.b.i. came out during the trial they used i'm sort of n.s.a. were involved with the wiretaps and i'm sort of cia cia it was a lot of obviously they're not gonna come to court and say that you know we helped with the case so and the deformity came on it in the court. to a highly paid da you formants carlos ricardo world's former drug dealers and a lot of right already mark members were out of time but really appreciate you coming on and sharing your story with us that was investigative journalist george map. on the death toll continues to rise in syria as fighting rages on between gravel and government forces activists described today as one of the most violent since the uprising began about a year ago this is syrian forces say they're complying with international mediator kofi annan peace plan by pulling out of cities and towns now the u.n. is that the send a team to syria in hopes of reaching

a peace deal and ceasefire within forty eight hours so is it it is an end to the bloodshed possible in the near future to dig deeper into the early hours of the middle east analyst down at the i asked them how promising this peace plan is here's their sponsor. peace plan if it's if it is followed respected and implemented. we can have a great through the events unfortunately the reality on the ground sees that the syrians are mastering the art of just giving words false promises when it comes to implementation the record is quite mediocre and it almost non existant this has been the style of the management from the syrian regime throughout the crisis if the date that been said by the syrian government april clearance is the date that supposed he should seize their military operations

i am anticipating much more violent attacks that will take place in the coming forty eight hours i still don't trust that bashar al assad will comply or respect his promise now there is a hard to believe that peace is right around the corner when we are seeing one of the bloodiest days in quite some time the syrian president except ends of this peace plan is you know and withdrawing the troops is being met with skepticism by rebel forces already. not only the rebel forces but other heads of states his regional neighbors. international powers nobody is the king. of promises value they are already building a case that the entire world is against them and be sure to have great talent for

broadway production if they will be qualifying to get a visa to visit the united states after he is the poles from his office now the russian's foreign minister has attacked a group of friends of syria the group of western and arab nations that supports arming the opposition and he has said that this is not helping the peace process at all either so nobody sees that the actions of the bashar and his regime is helping to solve the crisis and just makes the situation much more complicated yesterday was the was two of the bloodiest day but we have seen innocent victims fall and. lives in a fantasy that he is not the aggressor but he is subject to a major world conspiracy plot against his regime because of the spirit keep the decision people and democracies that the enjoy under his leadership. as

a middle east analyst. well the u.s. and china two world powers with age shake your relationship a recent study by the broking in brookings institution shows that as china's influence grows they see the u.s. as a declining power but they also believe the u.s. will do anything in its power to make sure it stays on top now this comes as the u.s. is shifting their geopolitical focus to the asia pacific region and just yesterday two hundred u.s. marines arrived in darwin australia it's the latest move by the u.s. in a later military to amp up its presence in the region and china has some concerns with a growing u.s. presence nearby so as tension rises what's the future hold for u.s. china relations to talk more about this room and lot of political economist joined me earlier. you know i don't think it's a question of suspiciousness or distrust although those are real phenomena or who

distrust who more what's really going on is that there is that there are growing geopolitical tensions between the united states and china and this is taking place against a backdrop of a profound global economic crisis that's really what setting the stage for this you see over the last two decades a decline of the u.s. share of world production. of the dollar its role in international currency markets and its role in the international economy has roaded and you see the rise of china not as a socialist society but as a capitalist poller since the death of a mouse a tune that china has been a capitalist society and china's economic clout has grown it is now the second largest economy in the world it's the second largest manufacturing exporter and the really needy the chinese currency is playing an increasingly important role in the

world economy so there is of shift in relative economic might in the world the u.s. is still the dominant power but china's rise is a profound and shaping feature of global geo economics and this now is leading to intensifying geale economic tensions between these two powers and i'm as well we are seeing a shaft that i'm nella terrorists confit the last shifting their military might to the asia pacific region and it's believed it's because they want an opt presence near china. well you know i think you know again against the backdrop that on setting forth here yes this is absolutely true if you look at the january twelve pentagon strategy review that was issued in january of this year you know it speaks of quote a rebalancing of u.s. military assets towards asia and it singles out china this is

a reflection of the fact as i said of the growing rivalry economic and geopolitical between these two powers and the us us imperialism is seeking to compensate for its declining economic spring you know by using its military advantage and looks happening now as you kind of touched on in the opening to this segment you know is very very significant the u.s. has expanded its long term presence military presence in asia for the first time since the end of the war in vietnam that is setting up this base in australia the u.s. is seeking to strengthen its partnerships and alliances in east asia and it is what we can with the wall street journal called a few months ago a full court press against china that is it's trying to encircle china and tighten that and circumvent economically militarily and diplomatically it's insinuating

itself into territorial disputes in the south china seas and it is as i said you know trying to reassert its hedger monika's issue in asia and china in turn is responding to that but both of these powers are actually seeking to expand their their presence and their influence the u.s. is reasserting its dominant presence and china is as a capitalist power in transition to an imperialist power is expanding its commercial influence is breaking out into africa into central asia its relative demand for raw materials is greater now than ever. before and this is again part of this backdrop and that rivalry is not in the interest of the people of the world so what you're saying and back to you last as they kind of surround china no way you know with these new faces that we're seeing caught in the in the region that china as also responding to that yeah as i said both of these you know the u.s.

is the dominant imperialist power in the world and it is responsible for more suffering and more death and destruction that any powers is since the end of world war two and of course you know it's it's going to be very glowing and upsetting to anyone of decency and justice when the u.s. talks about reasserting its strength in asia this is where the u.s. wage this war in vietnam for ten years and was responsible for the deaths of two to three million people the war in korea the us was responsible the cia was complicit in the best of five hundred thousand people in indonesia in one nine hundred sixty five so when the u.s. talks about you know reasserting or rebalancing there really weren't aimed towards asia you know there is a proven record there that is one of oppression and horror and china in turn is as i said as a capitalist power in transition to an imperial power he's engaged in

a process of expansion as i said it and i'm likely and militarily china is stepping up and ramping up its military spending the budget in two thousand and twelve and china will now be over at one hundred billion dollars which makes trying to the second largest military spender in the world of course this is only one seventh of u.s. military expenditure are we have get the very little upon a time lapse that we are seeing these tensions rising where could that lead ultimately ten fifteen years where it is heading. well i mean i think we see some of the signs in seeds of this right now of this intensifying rivalry could lead to military conflict and you know i'm not here to to make any predictions but this is in fact you know entirely conceivable sort of one as i said there is the danger of asia east asia is a flash point or trigger point of military conflict in iraq i think we have a man we are just simply out of time but thank you very much appreciate you coming

on the show that was raining lotta political economists all rip armor rupert murdoch the man behind fox news here in the last of the growing scandal on its hands in the u.k. sky and it was a major satellite network invited its reporters hacked e-mails on two separate occasions insisting that it was done in the public's interest artes are going to have more on the hacking investigation that's threatening the murdoch's media empire. well star news is claiming what it did was in the public interest because the emails hacked although they belonged to members of the public they were private they were those of suspected criminals and this it actually did this on two separate occasions both times authorizing a reporter a reporter was authorized to hack e-mails by a senior executive on the editorial board now that defense of public interest may be valid in some media cases for example to do it previously but it's not valid clear hacking private e-mails of public of members of the couple is in fact

a criminal offense sky news would be in breach here of the computer misuse act and for that particular law the public interest defense is not in fact ballots will be very interesting to see what the police do here because it's up to them to decide whether anyone actually get charged with this it's still in use has tried to diffuse the situation by say any nation it did glean from these hacked e-mails was not to publish nor is it broadcast however the information was clearly used as a basis for a number of stories published on its website at the times almost over four years ago now is obviously further invest in paris and he is on the murdoch empire here which is really drank through the mud in the u.k. last year in the way to the phone hacking scandal that resulted in the closure of one of his biggest newspapers here the news of the world for widespread criminal activity was illegal phone hacking of course and the ramifications of that scandal is still being felt in james murdoch. down earlier this week. from being chairman

of news corp the. overall company b. sky b. the guy new parent company is already under investigation by often the british broadcasting was told that the do with news corp seven in the company and with the phone hacking scandal news corp tried to downplay it to begin with they said that the illegal activity only extended to one rogue reporter out that newspaper however that was soon proven to be false it was a lot more widespread than they originally let on and that will be the question are now sky news was this really a one off or was it is it more widespread. but i was already correspondent i for bennett well coming up next is the big picture with tom hartman and tonight's show tom reveals the shattering affects of greece's austerity measures in the united states feel the waves of the economic aftershocks plus wouldn't twinkies have to do with capitalism tom fills you in all the billing and our.