{"id":2028165,"date":"2023-09-11T15:03:06","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T19:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/merchant-of-death-finally-reveals-what-happened-the-moment-he-saw-brittney-griner-i-was-a-little-shocked\/"},"modified":"2023-09-11T15:05:33","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T19:05:33","slug":"merchant-of-death-finally-reveals-what-happened-the-moment-he-saw-brittney-griner-i-was-a-little-shocked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/merchant-of-death-finally-reveals-what-happened-the-moment-he-saw-brittney-griner-i-was-a-little-shocked\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Merchant of Death&#8217; Shocked by Brittney Griner Encounter"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmerchant-of-death-finally-reveals-what-happened-the-moment-he-saw-brittney-griner-i-was-a-little-shocked%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2028165&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>&#8216;Merchant of Death&#8217; Finally Reveals\u2062 What Happened the Moment He Saw Brittney Griner: &#8216;I Was a Little Shocked&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer exchanged for WNBA star Brittney Griner in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/merchant-of-death-finally-reveals-what-happened-the-moment-he-saw-brittney-griner-i-was-a-little-shocked\/\" title=\"'Merchant of Death' Shocked by Brittney Griner Encounter\">high-profile \u200bprisoner swap<\/a> in December, has spoken to the U.S. media \u2064for\u200c the first time since his release.<\/p>\n<p>In an \u200dinterview that debuted Friday on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/espn\/story?id=38344127&#038;_slug_=russian-viktor-bout-speaks-griner-prisoner-swap-arms-case\">ESPN.com<\/a>, Bout \u2014 nicknamed \u200b\u201cthe Merchant of Death\u201d \u2014 recalled his initial reaction to seeing the 6-foot-9 center\u200c for the Phoenix \u200cMercury.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cImmediately I was a little shocked of seeing her without her signature braids,\u201d he told ESPN reporter T.J. Quinn. \u201cShe\u2064 was way taller than \u2064me, and I just shake\u2063 the hand. I \u200dsaid, \u2018I wish you good luck.\u2019 And we both went to our \u2062planes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>U.S. and Russian authorities completed the swap at\u200b an\u2064 airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Bout and Griner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/russias-merchant-death-reveals-told-brittney-griner-prisoner-swap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">briefly encountered<\/a> one another on the tarmac.<\/p>\n<h3>Two Different\u200c Paths<\/h3>\n<p>Russian officials detained Griner at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17, 2022 \u2014 one week before \u200dRussian forces invaded\u200b Ukraine. She \u2063was arrested on a\u2062 narcotics smuggling charge after cannabis oil was found in her \u200dluggage.<\/p>\n<p>A Russian court convicted her on Aug.\u200b 4, 2022, and\u2063 sentenced her to nine years in prison.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Bout was \u200bserving a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/she-claimed-he-raped-her-after-he-ended-their-relationship-she-was-just-sentenced-to-32-months-in-jail-for-her-false-accusation\/\" title=\"She Claimed He Raped Her After He Ended Their Relationship. She Was Just Sentenced To 32 Months In Jail For Her False Accusation.\">lengthy prison sentence<\/a> of his\u200b own. In 2011, a U.S. court convicted him of conspiring to kill Americans and conspiring to sell weapons to\u200b a Colombian terrorist organization, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/international-arms-dealer-viktor-bout-convicted-new-york-terrorism-crimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The disparity between\u2064 the two crimes came \u2063up during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/legendary-nfl-coach-calls-espn-whitewashing-prayer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESPN<\/a> interview.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cShe was convicted for trafficking 0.7 grams of cannabis oil. You were convicted for \u200cconspiracy to kill Americans, trying to\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russia-hints-at-prisoner-swap-to-free-detained-wsj-reporter\/\" title=\"Russia suggests prisoner exchange for release of detained WSJ journalist.\">sell arms<\/a> to a terrorist organization.\u2063 And \u200cyou saw that there was a great deal of outrage\u200d from some in this country. \u200bWhat do you say to them?\u201d Quinn asked.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Bout replied that it depends on one\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWell, think of this, that the same outrage was in Russia\u2062 when I was sentenced to 25\u2064 years. Many people would say, \u2018For what? Just\u2064 for talking? Are you serious?&#8217;\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThere is not even\u2063 a\u2064 proper translation to Russian of the term of \u2063\u2018conspiracy.\u2019 We don\u2019t have\u200c such even the\u2064 legal term. So \u200dthis is the same kind of outrage in \u2063Russia about my case and about many other cases,\u201d Bout said.<\/p>\n<p>On Griner\u2019s ordeal, however, he expressed empathy.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cOf course I feel bad or sorry for any person who\u2019s gonna be used as a pawn despite whether they committed something or not,\u201d Bout said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Quinn asked him \u200bif he \u200cbelieved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/brittney-griner-complains-not-allowed-fly-private-doesnt-get-much-sympathy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Griner<\/a> had \u200cbecome a pawn. Bout\u2063 made it clear that the situation involved \u2063more than one pawn.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cBut definitely that the normal person has to pay a price because politicians on the both sides\u200d trying to play chess on this big chessboard which they call geopolitics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Certainly, most people \u200bin the U.S.\u200c regarded Griner\u2019s prison sentence as harsh, cruel and politically motivated. There seemed no comparison to Bout\u2019s crime.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, many Americans nowadays \u200bthink differently about the\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/biden-doj-puts-elon-musk-crosshairs-coming-twitter-earlier-year\/\">DOJ<\/a> than they did in 2011. Perhaps Bout had a point.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever the merits \u2062of Bout\u2019s claims about conspiracy and \u2062geopolitics, there is another aspect \u200dto this story.<\/p>\n<p>The Russian arms dealer\u200d gave\u200c his first U.S. interview to ESPN because Griner rates as one of the WNBA\u2019s biggest\u200b stars. Thus, \u2062the conversation focused\u2062 on her.<\/p>\n<h2>Should Biden work to bring home Whelan?<\/h2>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\" class=\"one-half\">\n<div class=\"firefly-poll-question\">Should Biden work \u200bto bring home Whelan?<\/div>\n<div id=\"pollFormBox\" style=\"display: none\">\n\t\t<label>Yes<\/label><br \/>\n\t\t<label>No<\/label><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-poll-disclaimer\">\n<p>\t\tCompleting this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free\u2063 of charge. You may opt \u200cout at anytime. You also agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/terms-service\/\">Terms of Use<\/a>.\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results\" style=\"display: none\">\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results-yes\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n<p>\t\t\tYes: 100% (3 Votes)\n\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results-no\" style=\"width: 0%\">\n<p>\t\t\tNo: \u20630% (0 Votes)\n\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile, Quinn did not mention another name \u2014 one far less famous \u2014\u2062 connected to the Bout-Griner story. Former U.S. Marine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/marine-imprisoned-russia-reveals-feels-biden-freeing-brittney-griner-not\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paul Whelan<\/a> remains in a Russian prison on phony \u201cespionage\u201d charges.<\/p>\n<p>When he learned of Griner\u2019s release, Whelan expressed no resentment toward the WNBA star. He did,\u200d however, express frustration with the situation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am greatly disappointed that\u200c more has not \u2062been done to secure my release, especially as\u2062 the four-year anniversary of my\u2063 arrest is coming up,\u201d Whelan told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2022\/12\/08\/politics\/paul-whelan-cnn-interview-brittney-griner\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a> shortly after the Bout-Griner exchange.<\/p>\n<p>Grief over the Biden \u2062administration\u2019s failure to secure both Griner and \u200bWhelan stems at least in part\u200c from the fact that U.S. officials had raised that very hope\u2062 even before \u2063a Russian court convicted the basketball star.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-a-press-availability-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> on July 27, 2022, that the U.S. government intended to free both U.S.\u200c citizens.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe put\u2064 a substantial proposal on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-pitches-prisoner-exchange-with-russia-to-free-griner-whelan\/\" title=\"Biden Administration Pitches Prisoner Exchange With Russia to Free Griner, Whelan\">table weeks ago<\/a> to \u2062facilitate their release,\u201d Blinken said.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine Americans\u2019 \u2063surprise and dismay, therefore, when\u200b the\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/joe-biden-will-replaced-2024-know-will-take-place-author\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Biden<\/a> \u200d administration settled for Griner alone in exchange for the Merchant of Death.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSadly, for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wnba-player-brittney-griner-freed-from-russian-prison-in-exchange-for-release-of-merchant-of-death-arms-dealer-viktor-bout\/\" title=\"WNBA Player Brittney Griner Freed From Russian Prison in Exchange for Release of \"Merchant of Death\" Arms Dealer Viktor Bout\">totally illegitimate reasons<\/a>, Russia is treating\u200c Paul\u2019s case differently than Brittney\u2019s. And while we have not yet \u200bsucceeded in securing Paul\u2019s\u2062 release, we are not giving up. We will never\u200c give up,\u201d President Joe Biden\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/speeches-remarks\/2022\/12\/08\/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-release-of-brittney-griner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> on \u200bDec. 8, 2022.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">109 days ago Biden said \u201cWe have not forgotten about Paul Whelan\u2062 and will do whatever it takes to bring him home\u201d. This was after he swapped Viktor Bout the \u2018Merchant of Death\u2019 for Brittney \u2063Griner<\/p>\n<p>Paul Whelan\u200d has been detained\u2062 in Russia for 4 years. Bring him home!! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vRisqZ2aUW\">pic.twitter.com\/vRisqZ2aUW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Eddie (@ICU1010) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICU1010\/status\/1640271614779555841?\">March 27, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Those who have observed Biden\u2019s\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/hawaiian-business-savages-joe-biden-belittling-destruction-maui\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">behavior<\/a> since then may judge how\u200b hard the president has \u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/details-bidens-second-august-vacation-emerge-not-good-look-joe-jill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">worked<\/a> to free Whelan.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/merchant-death-finally-reveals-happened-moment-saw-brittney-griner-little-shocked\/\">&#8216;Merchant of Death&#8217; Finally Reveals \u2063What Happened the Moment He\u2062 Saw Brittney Griner:\u2062 &#8216;I Was a Little Shocked&#8217;<\/a> appeared \u2064first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer, recently spoke to the U.S. media after being exchanged for WNBA star Brittney Griner. In his first interview since release, Bout, also known as &#8220;the Merchant of Death,&#8221; shared his initial thoughts upon seeing the media coverage. The interview premiered on ESPN.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2056,"featured_media":2028166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2028165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2056"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2028165"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028165\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2028166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2028165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2028165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2028165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}