New York ( CNN ) -- An accused international arms dealer , now in U.S. custody for allegedly agreeing to sell millions of dollars of weapons to a Colombian narco-terrorist organization , pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a U.S. courtroom to four counts of terror-related crimes . Viktor Bout , the alleged dealer , could face life in prison if found guilty , the Manhattan U.S. Attorney said . The charges he faces are conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals ; conspiracy to kill U.S. officers or employees ; conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile ; and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization . In this case , that would be the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC . Bout appeared before U.S. District Judge Shira Sheindin wearing a brown tee shirt , black track pants and black sneakers . He was given headphones for translation to Russian , but Bout , who speaks six languages , spoke English to the judge and his attorney . He stood and said `` good day '' when the judge entered , and nodded that he understood his rights . The hearing lasted about 10 minutes . `` The so-called 'Merchant of Death ' is now a federal inmate , '' said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara . Bharara said if Bout is convicted on all counts , he 'll face a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison . Bharara also announced an unsealed guilty plea of an alleged Bout associate , Andrew Smulian , on the charges . The Justice Department said that between November 2007 and March 2008 , Bout agreed to sell millions of dollars of weapons to the FARC , called the `` world 's largest supplier of cocaine '' and dedicated to the violent overthrow of the democratically-elected Colombian government . The weaponry allegedly included `` surface-to-air missile systems ; armor piercing rocket launchers ; AK-47 firearms ; millions of rounds of ammunition ; Russian spare parts for rifles ; anti-personnel land mines ; C-4 plastic explosives ; night-vision equipment ; 'ultralight ' aircraft that could be outfitted with grenade launchers and missiles ; and unmanned aerial vehicles . '' Drug Enforcement Administration agents led a sting operation by posing as FARC members , and Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 , where he remained in custody until Tuesday . Bout had agreed to sell the weapons to two confidential sources working with the Drug Enforcement Administration , the government said . In a meeting recorded in Thailand in March 2008 , Bout said he could have the materiel airdropped to the FARC and offered to sell two cargo planes as well , the government alleges . Bharara said Bout indicated that he wanted the weapons to be used against U.S. personnel in Colombia . He indicated that the United States was his enemy and that the FARC 's battles against the United States were his as well , the government said . He was arrested after that meeting by Thai officials . Bout arrived in New York late Tuesday , after being extradited from Thailand . The Russian citizen and former Soviet military officer is being held in a high-security prison in Manhattan until his trial , the Justice Department said . Bout allegedly began building his arms business as the Soviet Union disintegrated in the early 1990s . He acquired surplus Soviet planes and started shipping arms and ammunition to conflict zones , according to the U.S. Treasury Department . Bout -- who has gone by many other names , including `` Victor Anatoliyevich Bout , '' `` Victor But , '' `` Viktor Budd , '' `` Viktor Butt , '' `` Viktor Bulakin '' and `` Vadim Markovich Aminov '' -- is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world , from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan . But he has repeatedly said he has broken no laws and that the allegations against him are lies . Attorney General Eric Holder said Bout 's `` alleged arms trafficking activity and support of armed conflicts in Africa has been a cause of concern around the world . '' `` His extradition is a victory for the rule of law worldwide . Long considered one of the world 's most prolific arms traffickers , Mr . Bout will now appear in federal court in Manhattan to answer to charges of conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to a terrorist organization for use in trying to kill Americans . '' The Russian government issued a terse reaction Tuesday on Bout being sent to the United States . `` It is very deplorable that the Thai government succumbed to the outside pressure and conducted the illegal extradition of Viktor Bout , '' Russia 's Foreign Ministry said . Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said : `` We as a country will continue assisting Viktor Bout as a Russian citizen in every possible way . '' CNN 's Sally Garner and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
NEW : El Bout pleaded not guilty in court today . The suspected arms dealer faces life in prison if convicted . The charges allege his involvement with the FARC .