Pakistan nuclear pioneer Abdul Qadeer Khan and four others have confessed to leaking nuclear secrets to groups working for Iran, Libya and North Korea, an official close to the Government's probe told AFP. "Dr Qadeer and four others have accepted that they were involved in leaking nuclear know-how outside Pakistan to groups working for Iran, Libya and North Korea," the official said. It was the first time North Korea had been named as a recipient of nuclear information from those under investigation.
| I think we knew that without the admission... |
The official said information was leaked between 1986 and 1993.
| "But certainly not later than that! No, no! Certainly not!" |
He said an 11-page report carrying the confessions has been submitted to President General Pervez Musharraf. Asked if there will be criminal proceedings against those who have confessed he said it is up to the National Command Authority to take a decision, of which President Musharraf is the chairman. It was not yet clear whether Khan had admitted to giving centrifuge designs for uranium enrichment to Iran and Libya, he said. |