3/04 NYT-BUSH Singles Out Dubai Co For Transporting Centrifuge/Nuke Equip

[kpete]

this from the NYT (March 4, 2004, p. A31):


EDITORIAL DESK
Nukes 'R' Us
By GARY MILHOLLIN AND KELLY MOTZ (NYT) 1167 words
Published: March 4, 2004

..............

In the wake of the Khan scandal, Washington has at least acknowledged the problem. President Bush singled out SMB Computers, a Dubai company run by B. S. A. Tahir, a Sri Lankan businessman living in Malaysia, as a "front for the proliferation activities of the A. Q. Khan network." According to the White House, Mr. Tahir arranged for components of high-speed gas centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium so it can be used in nuclear weapons, to be manufactured in Malaysia, shipped to Dubai and then sent on to Libya. (In its investigation, the Malaysian government implicated another Dubai company, Gulf Technical Industries.)

American authorities say that Mr. Tahir also bought centrifuge parts in Europe that were sent to Libya via Dubai. In return for millions of dollars paid to Dr. Khan, Libya's leader, Col. Muammar Qaddafi, was to get enough centrifuges to make about 10 nuclear weapons a year.

Why ship through Dubai? Because it may be the easiest place in the world to mask the real destination of cargo. Consider how the Malaysian government is making the case for the innocence of its manufacturing company. "No document was traced that proved" the company "delivered or exported the said components to Libya," according to the country's inspector general of police. The real destination, he said, "was outside the knowledge" of the producer. One can be certain that if the Khan ring's European suppliers are ever tracked down, they will offer a similar explanation.

Dubai provides companies and governments a vital asset: automatic deniability. Its customs agency even brags that its policy on re-exporting "enables traders to transit their shipments through Dubai without any hassles." Next to Dubai's main port is the Jebel Ali free trade zone, a haven for freewheeling international companies. Our organization has documented 264 firms from Iran and 44 from rogue regimes like Syria and North Korea. ......

http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0E1FF9395B0C778CDDAA0894DC404482



Governor, sorry we lost the harbor, but
we had no idea they smuggled in a bomb
to blow up the LNG terminal
...............................

[kitty1]

1. and this info ties in nicely with the fact that Valerie Plame was..

getting on track to Khan's operation in the course of her work on Iran. Who are we kidding, Cheney et al have been compliant either directly or indirectly with this whole underground nuclear weapons proliferation. Khan, a Pakistani and in high standing with the government over there, is the master at nulear technology. His centrifuge design work has been bought by Iran no less. Yet nobody is breathing down Pakistan's neck over this guy. Musharoff won't touch him, and neither will the CIA. He's a valueable asset. Pakistan is an ally in the war against terror, yet the U.S. wants to "make deals" with them, so they won't step on their precious toes. What a farce this whole terror crap is.

[kpete]

2. Thanks kitty1

and WELCOME to DU - I totally agree with your opinion of "this whole terror crap" thing!

[blm]

3. Khan was financed through BCCI dealings. BushInc won't touch him because

he's a longtime ally of theirs.

Bush1 blocked as much as he could to protect his BCCI allies dealing arms, running drugs, and laundering money.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. ''Why ship through Dubai? ''

''Because it may be the easiest place in the world to mask the real destination of cargo.''

and no records kept in the US, to avoid subpoenas?

sweet!

[savemefromdumbya]

5. Is this what sibel edmonds was looking into?

Is this true? I hope not!

http://www.devvy.com/200410271710.html