Al-Qaeda tries to buy uranium in Sudan
Part of Al-Qaeda seeks WMD| Event Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Primary Organization | Al-Qaeda | |
| Location | Khartoum, Sudan | |
| Start Time | Late 19931 | |
| End Time | Early 19941 | |
| Participants | Jamal Ahmed al-Fadl1, Abu Fadhl al-Makkee (Leader) 1, Abu Dijana al Yemeni1, Abu Rida al Suri1, Salah Abdel al Mobruk1, Al Fadl Al Shahideen1, Basheer1, Mamdouh Mahmud Salim1 | |
 | Participants | Abu Musab al Suri2 | |
| | |||
| Narrative and Notes | |||
| Reliable | According to Jamal al-Fadl, al-Qaeda operatives Abu Fadhl and Abu Dijana dispatched him to contact Salah Abdel al-Mobruk, a former Sudanese government minister, about purchasing some uranium for al-Qaeda. Their meeting was coordinated by Al Fadl Al Shahideen, and al-Mobruk directed Jamal al-Fadl to work with Basheer. Later, Basheer told Jamal al-Fadl the uranium would cost $1.5 million, including a commission for Basheer and al-Mobruk. He also asked how al-Fadl and his colleagues would confirm the cylinder containing the uranium was indeed uranium, and al-Fadl said he didn't know. Abu Rida al-Suri, another al-Qaeda member, advised Jamal al-Fadl what information al-Qaeda would need about the uranium. Al-Fadl took this information to Basheer, and Basheer invited Abu Rida and al-Fadl to a meeting with him and Al-Fadl Al Shahideen north of Khartoum, in a town called Bait al Mal. The contacts produced a two-to-three foot tall cylinder they said contained uranium. It said South Africa (in English) and also had descriptions of the quality of the substance inside. Al Fadl al Shahideen then told Jamal al-Fadl to arrange a meeting between Abu Rida al-Suri of al-Qaeda and al-Mobruk. Al-Qaeda members had some device brought in from Kenya to test the uranium. It is unclear from al-Fadl's testimony whether the purchase took place, or whether al-Qaeda actually obtained uranium. The group is not known to have employed uranium in any weapons or attacks. Jamal al-Fadl said he received a bonus of $10,000 for his work.1 | |
| Possible | The 9-11 Commission said that al-Qaeda apparently bought the cynlinder, but discovered it to be bogus.3 | |
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| Sources | |||
| 1Jamal Ahmed al-Fadl testimony, United States vs. Osama bin Laden et al, trial transcript, Day 3, Feb. 7, 2001. | |||
| 2Jamal Ahmed al-Fadl testimony, United States vs. Osama bin Laden et al, trial transcript, Day 4, Feb. 13, 2001. | |||
| 3The 9-11 Commission Report, July 22, 2004, ch 2.4. | |||
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