Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=2/27/2004

TYPE=ENGLISH PROGRAMS REPORT

TITLE= Pakistan Nuclear Network (corrected)

NUMBER=4-0028

BYLINE=Pat Bodnar

PHONE=203-4256

DATELINE=Washington

ENGLISH PROGRAMS REPORT

Re-issued with must correct

Inserts are available in Dalet - SOD/English News Now/Updates

INTRO: The man known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear program was pardoned in January after admitting he leaked nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. But a writer for Jane's Defense Publications tells VOA's Pat Bodnar, that it is uncertain if the lucrative arms network headed by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan (pron. ab-dool Kah-deer Kon), has been closed.

TEXT: In November of 2000 in Karachi, Andrew Koch (pronounced coke), the Washington Bureau Chief of Jane's Defence Weekly picked up a glossy brochure at an arms convention at the booth of AQ Khan Research Laboratories. Under the heading of nuclear-related products was a list of items for sale, including complete ultra-centrifuge machines and other components needed to build a uranium-enrichment plant. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and the world community had been suspicious of the activities of AQ Khan's nuclear network as far back as the late 1980's. Andrew Koch says it was not until around 2003, when clear evidence emerged, that the network was exposed. The International Atomic Energy Agency had actual components of Pakistani nuclear weapons technology.

//Koch ACT#1\\

IAEA inspectors found centrifuges in Iran that were specifically of Pakistani design and that had indications that they had come from Pakistan. (Prior to that). they didn't have any such hard evidence. They always suspected but they couldn't prove it. This was the hard proof. The really hard proof came when Libya opened itself up for inspections. It was very clear where this stuff came from. A lot of this stuff had the original markings.

//end of act\\

Pakistan said it launched investigations when informed of possible wrongdoing by the International Atomic Energy Agency. In October of 2003, Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Richard Armitage also outlined a detailed case against AQ Khan to the Pakistani government. But Andrew Koch of Jane's says questions persist since the pardon of the scientist, whether Pakistan's nuclear network has been disbanded:

//Koch Act 2\\

Are these the same people who simply went back to doing their old kind of business once the world community wasn't looking so closely. Or are these people being used as a smokescreen for the real network for the real activities that are going on now. Those are questions we still don't know the answer to.

//end of act\\\

Since the pardoning of AQ Khan, new accusations of a cover-up have been raised by Pakistan's former Prime Minister. Benazir Bhutto has alleged that senior government or military figures must have known what was going on, and blames the Musharraf government. Pakistan has said throughout the scandal that Dr. Khan and other scientists acted entirely of their own accord.

VNN/PB/wh