NEW YORK, January 31 (RIA Novosti) - The defense team of Russian businessman Viktor Bout, convicted for arms trafficking in the United States, has filed an appeal against the guilty verdict, his lawyer told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

Bout, detained in a joint operation by US and Thai authorities in Bangkok in 2008, was sentenced to 25 years in prison last April for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens and sell arms to Colombian militants.

He has denied wrongdoing called the trial politically motivated, a claim echoed by Russian officials.

Lawyer Albert Dayan said that in his appeal he proves that Bout was innocent and that his case was politically motivated.

“Viktor had no intention of cooperating with Colombian left-wing radicals, agents of special services drew him in the scheme that they had designed,” he said.

The US Department of Justice rejected Russia’s extradition request for Bout last November.