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Pakistan nuclear probe in peril
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09
December 2004
Pakistan nuclear probe in peril An international investigation into the nuclear black market run by the renegade 'father' of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, is in danger of grinding to a halt because the governments of various countries implicated in the clandestine trade are reluctant to co-operate.
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has been struggling to piece together the network that was behind the world's most dangerous case of nuclear proliferation following the exposure of Khan's operation in December 2003 when Libya - one of the professor's key customers - came clean on its nuclear arms programme. However, despite IAEA efforts, only a handful of people have so far been arrested: in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and South Africa.
UN investigators believe that many others remain at large in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - a vital hub for Khan's illicit operation - as well as in Britain, France, Spain and Malaysia. The Pakistani authorities are still refusing to permit investigators to interrogate Khan, who despite his televised 'confession', is still considered to be a hero by many Pakistanis and has been pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf. Since the US administration needs to keep Musharraf on board for the global war against terrorism, Washington has been oddly quiescent about being barred access to the disgraced scientist.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has detained one of Khan's alleged associates, Sri Lankan businessman Buhary Syed abu Tahir, since 28 May 2004 under the country's Internal Security Act. However, officials say that means access to him is being restricted. In June, US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents were blocked from seeing Tahir, who was once based in Dubai. He is being held on suspicion of involvement in the sale of centrifuges, used to enrich uranium to weapons grade.
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