The Hindu : Khan's `associate' discloses wide network

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 21, 2004

International

International

Khan's `associate' discloses wide network

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, FEB. 20. A suspected associate of Pakistan's nuclear scientist, A.Q. Khan, has disclosed the existence of a wide network of clandestine nuclear-proliferation activities, according to the Malaysian authorities.

The alleged network, as outlined by the Malaysian police in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today, consists of ``several people and companies from Europe.'' Germany, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Switzerland have been cited.

Identifying Dr. Khan as Pakistan's ``nuclear arms expert,'' the police quoted his associate, Buhary Seyed Abu Tahir, as saying that during investigations it was found that he was part of "a loose network" which functioned "without a rigid hierarchy, or a head and a deputy head as alleged'' in the earlier disclosures by the U.S.

The people, identified by Mr. Tahir, included U.R.S. Tinner, who was alleged to have been associated with a Malaysian firm, Scomi Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd [SCOPE]. This company has come under the spotlight in connection with the suspected supply of components for Libya's clandestine programme of producing nuclear-weapons-grade enriched uranium.

Mr. Tahir, identified as ``a citizen of Sri Lanka," married a Malaysian, "gained permanent residency" and forged business links there.

Police sketched the emergence of nuclear proliferation network in the following terms: ``B.S.A. Tahir said that Pakistan's need to produce nuclear weapons became urgent after India tested its nuclear weapon on 18 May 1974. In view of this, the Kahuta plant was set up and the [Pakistani] nuclear arms expert was forced to get equipment discreetly from the developed nations, especially Europe.

In the process, he developed contacts to get the needed material from several countries.

This had to be done discreetly because Pakistan had to develop a nuclear weapon for national defence after India's nuclear test received opposition from many Western countries.

Amid these difficulties, the nuclear expert successfully developed a network of middlemen that involved not only B.S.A. Tahir, but also several people and companies from Europe.'' Those persons and firms were ``seeking to make profits by selling certain materials and equipment.''

Tracing how the activities of this `network' expanded to cater to the suspected clandestine programmes of Libya and Iran, the police quoted Mr. Tahir as saying that Dr. Khan had ``asked [him] to send two containers of used centrifuge units from Pakistan to Iran'' in 1994/1995.

Mr. Tahir ``organised the transhipment of the two containers from Dubai to Iran'' and the transaction, as narrated by him to the police, entailed a tag of $3 million.

The police said that its investigations revealed how ``the management of SCOPE were unaware that the exported components [in question] were part of certain centrifuge unit for Libya.'' Mr. Tahir and Mr. Tinner ``did not declare the [intended] use of the component[s]'' and SCOPE was ``misled'' into manufacturing those dual-use components.

The Malaysian police said ``it is clear that SCOPE has not violated any law under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and also the Malaysian law under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act.''

A ``full and complete report'' would be sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] through the Government. In addition, Malaysia would be ``always ready to cooperate with the IAEA, if there is a need for further investigation,'' it was said.

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