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| Europeans Supplied Pak Nuclear Network |
| 2004-02-20 |
| EFL A police report into the Malaysian end of a Pakistani-led network hawking nuclear technology to countries such as Libya and Iran has concluded that most of its suppliers were Europeans. The report, published on Friday, includes new details about what was provided by the network, alleging that used centrifuges were delivered to Iran from Pakistan in 1994-95 and that nuclear material and centrifuge parts were airlifted to Libya from Pakistan some seven years later. It also enlarges on who allegedly supplied the network. The Malaysian police report calls for an international investigation into the role of Europeans in the network. "What is clear is that most individuals involved in the networking are from Europe whose countries are signatories to the additional protocol [of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG)." The NSG aims but apparently needs work on its marksmanship to curb trade in nuclear technology, and the additional protocol opens its signatories to tough nuclear inspections. The report alleges Peter Griffin, a British citizen living in France, was a middleman in a project to set up a workshop in Libya to make centrifuge components. His son Paul has taken over the management of Gulf Technical Industries, the Dubai-based company that ordered the Libya-bound centrifuge parts from Malaysia. ahh, it warms the heart to hear about quaint, charming family owned businesses like this Machines for the workshops came from Spain and Italy. Mr Griffin could not be reached for comment. The police report says the production of centrifuge parts at the Scomi subsidiary, Scope, was supervised by Urs Tinner, the son of a German mechanical engineer who allegedly had dealings with Mr Khan from the 1980s. Mr Tinner was hired as a consultant by Mr Tahir to work at Scope between April and October 2002, when the centrifuge parts were made. The parts were seized on board a Libya-bound German ship last October. |
| Posted by:sludj |