Today's Article
Was Musharraf
involved in a
multi-national
smuggling ring which
apparently provided
nuclear weapon
technologies to North
Korea, Libya and Iran?
involved in a
multi-national
smuggling ring which
apparently provided
nuclear weapon
technologies to North
Korea, Libya and Iran?
The American Spark
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Did Pakistani President Send Nuke Centrifuges to North Korea?
By Cliff Montgomery - July 9th, 2008
Pakistan’s leaders quietly sent a shipment of centrifuges for uranium enrichment to North Korea about eight
years ago, according to a June statement by former leading Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Khan’s assertion was the clearest so far that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf may have been a key
player in a multi-national smuggling ring which apparently provided crucial nuclear weapon technologies to
North Korea, Libya and Iran.
The scientist told reporters that old P-1 centrifuges were placed onto a North Korea airplane with the
“complete knowledge” of Pakistan's army and security agencies.
“It was a North Korean plane, and the army had complete knowledge about it and the equipment,” said Khan
from his home in an interview with reporters.
The nuclear scientist was placed under house arrest after a 2004 confession that he was the ringleader of the
smuggling network. But earlier this year Khan recanted that confession, declaring that it was given as part of a
plea deal for his eventual freedom.
A Musharraf spokesman rejected Khan’s latest assertions.
“I can say with full confidence that it is all lies and false statements,” spokesman Rashid Qureshi told
Associated Press reporters. Such an outraged denial from a career politician often means there may be
something to the claims after all.
In fact a leading Pakistani military official admitted to Agence France-Presse (AFP), a top French wire service,
that in 2000 a dozen centrifuges were sent to North Korea, and further acknowledged that another unit had
earlier been delivered to that nation.
But apparently the official maintained that Khan was the perpetrator of these actions; in any case, he flatly
denied any implication of top Pakistani administrators.
“Technically, yes it happened in his (Musharraf’s) tenure, but giving an impression that he or the army was
aware or supervised it is wrong,” Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai, Pakistani Strategic Planning Division Director, told
AFP.
“I would like to categorically say it is absolutely wrong, false,” added Kidwai.
And there are good reasons to believe that Musharraf and Lt. Gen. Kidwai are telling the truth on this one. As
stated in a 2005 Naval Postgraduate study by Christopher Clary, "there is no proof that the Pakistani state was
aware of the nuclear transfers from Pakistan to Iran, North Korea, Libya, and perhaps others."
Though Clary apparently uncovered some "evidence...of possible Pakistani state knowledge or consent for
Khan’s nuclear enterprise," he emphasized in his study a firm belief that "the dangers to Pakistan were too
great, the benefits too small," for direct governmental approval.
"Instead, the most easily identifiable beneficiary was Khan, and the individuals that work with him, as evidenced
in bank accounts in Pakistan, Dubai, Switzerland, and elsewhere."
Regardless of governmental consent, "Khan’s activities call into question the ability of Pakistan to safeguard
and secure its nuclear arsenal," Clary correctly observed.
Since George W. Bush first decided to misuse the bulk of U.S. military prowess in Iraq in 2003, he has left the
principal duty of tracking down al-Qaeda leadership to Pakistan--a country whose president and military either
cannot or will not keep the government's nuclear weapon technologies from unsavory characters.
Of course, al-Qaeda is the terrorist group which actually attacked America on Sept. 11th, 2001--and which had
absolutely nothing at all to do with Iraq.
Such decisions underscore the foolishness of our current White House.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - July 9th, 2008
Pakistan’s leaders quietly sent a shipment of centrifuges for uranium enrichment to North Korea about eight
years ago, according to a June statement by former leading Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Khan’s assertion was the clearest so far that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf may have been a key
player in a multi-national smuggling ring which apparently provided crucial nuclear weapon technologies to
North Korea, Libya and Iran.
The scientist told reporters that old P-1 centrifuges were placed onto a North Korea airplane with the
“complete knowledge” of Pakistan's army and security agencies.
“It was a North Korean plane, and the army had complete knowledge about it and the equipment,” said Khan
from his home in an interview with reporters.
The nuclear scientist was placed under house arrest after a 2004 confession that he was the ringleader of the
smuggling network. But earlier this year Khan recanted that confession, declaring that it was given as part of a
plea deal for his eventual freedom.
A Musharraf spokesman rejected Khan’s latest assertions.
“I can say with full confidence that it is all lies and false statements,” spokesman Rashid Qureshi told
Associated Press reporters. Such an outraged denial from a career politician often means there may be
something to the claims after all.
In fact a leading Pakistani military official admitted to Agence France-Presse (AFP), a top French wire service,
that in 2000 a dozen centrifuges were sent to North Korea, and further acknowledged that another unit had
earlier been delivered to that nation.
But apparently the official maintained that Khan was the perpetrator of these actions; in any case, he flatly
denied any implication of top Pakistani administrators.
“Technically, yes it happened in his (Musharraf’s) tenure, but giving an impression that he or the army was
aware or supervised it is wrong,” Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai, Pakistani Strategic Planning Division Director, told
AFP.
“I would like to categorically say it is absolutely wrong, false,” added Kidwai.
And there are good reasons to believe that Musharraf and Lt. Gen. Kidwai are telling the truth on this one. As
stated in a 2005 Naval Postgraduate study by Christopher Clary, "there is no proof that the Pakistani state was
aware of the nuclear transfers from Pakistan to Iran, North Korea, Libya, and perhaps others."
Though Clary apparently uncovered some "evidence...of possible Pakistani state knowledge or consent for
Khan’s nuclear enterprise," he emphasized in his study a firm belief that "the dangers to Pakistan were too
great, the benefits too small," for direct governmental approval.
"Instead, the most easily identifiable beneficiary was Khan, and the individuals that work with him, as evidenced
in bank accounts in Pakistan, Dubai, Switzerland, and elsewhere."
Regardless of governmental consent, "Khan’s activities call into question the ability of Pakistan to safeguard
and secure its nuclear arsenal," Clary correctly observed.
Since George W. Bush first decided to misuse the bulk of U.S. military prowess in Iraq in 2003, he has left the
principal duty of tracking down al-Qaeda leadership to Pakistan--a country whose president and military either
cannot or will not keep the government's nuclear weapon technologies from unsavory characters.
Of course, al-Qaeda is the terrorist group which actually attacked America on Sept. 11th, 2001--and which had
absolutely nothing at all to do with Iraq.
Such decisions underscore the foolishness of our current White House.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!