Asher Karni, an Israeli citizen now resident in South Africa, was arrested on a recent visit to the US and charged with violating federal laws against nuclear proliferation.
“The Karni case offers a rare glimpse into what authorities say is an international bazaar teeming with entrepreneurs, transporters, scientists, manufacturers, government agents, organized-crime syndicates and, perhaps, terrorists”, writes reporter Josh Meyer. The trade is flourishing despite decades-long efforts by the US and its allies and the UN’s International Agency for Arms Control to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
The parts shipped by Karni to his Pakistani collaborator, who is allegedly linked to an Islamic militant group, were believed intended for use in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program.
Another report in today’s Washington Post corroborates the ease with which nuclear weapons can be assembled from materials available on the open market for potential use against civilian populations.
Both articles available on: http://www.supportingfacts.com
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URLs: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-nukes24may24,1,7259909.s tory?coll=la-headlines-world
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50362-2004May23.html?referrer =email
Sorry for any cross posting.