Abdul
Qadeer Khan
Motivated by trying to protect Pakistan from India
Known as Agent Karim, to the Pakistani Secret Service
Wife is Dutch
Family were Muslim refugees from India
India has recently defeated Pakistan in two wars
(1965 & 1971)
Prime Minister Zulfikar
Bhutto Decides to Pursue Nuclear Program - January 1972
AQ Khan Goes to Work for URENCO in
Amsterdam - 1972
Project 706 was the effort to find a location for
nuclear research facility
Kahuta in the foothills of the Himalayas, was the
chosen location
Pakistan Contracted France To Build a
Plutonium Plant - 1974
Named the Kundian Nuclear Complex
Khan had Western construction companies build the
plant
German businessman Gothab Lech (sp?) was a partner in
the network
Much nuclear material is dual-use, good for peaceful
or military needs
False end-users, multiple points of destination for
shipping to Pakistan
Centrifuge designs came from Netherlands, at URENCO,
then got suppliers list in Europe, to build them
Netherlands Charged Khan with Nuclear Espionage
1983
China Provided Pakistan with Proven
Warhead Design - 1983
China Provided Pakistan with
Sufficient Uranium for Two Bombs
1983
Dutch sentenced to four years in jail, but due to
legal screw up by the Dutch, he was acquitted on all charges
Western Intelligence
Realizes Kahuta's True Purpose
1985
Since 1971, Pakistan was pursuing nuclear weapons
Khan started meeting with the Chinese
CIA launched covert operations espionage, shadowing
Khan on one of his frequent foreign trips, revealing Khan obtained
the design for a nuclear warhead. This was a design the Chinese
created that could deliver a nuclear warhead just about anywhere in
the world
This was a major breakthrough for CIA covert
operations, but the Afghan war with the Soviets changed all that.
Now the US relied on Pakistan as a crucial ally, Consequently, the
US looked the other way, while the war raged on
Khan then brought operations into the United States
CIA Barlow oversaw a sting operation on Archie Pervez,
for 350 grade ultra strong steel, which has very limited commercial
need. CIA wanted to know who Pervez was buying for, and where it was
being sent....which turned out to be the Kahuta plant. His arrest
created a firestorm in Washington, because of the US war in
Afghanistan. CIA warned, in 1987, to stop pursuing the Khan networks
Also in 1987, Khan goes to the Middle East,
specifically Dubai. B.S.A Tahir of the SMB Group, was employed as a
front man for Khan. He is from Sri Lanka. Described as Khan's
"surrogate" son, and rose to prominence in the network.
Pakistan Conducted First Nuclear Tests
- May 28, 1988 at Ras Koh Hills in Chagai
Heinz Mabus had already sold nuclear material to the
Iraq nuclear program. He was from Germany. This was in Dubai.
Intelligence completely lost any connection to the relevance that
Khan was now actively trying to sell nuclear secrets.
A chicken farm in the Iraqi desert, contained a
treasure trove of atomic documents, which was reviewed by Trevor
Edwards, of the IAEA. In 1990, Khan made an offer to the Iraqis, via
a company he owns in Dubai, but Saddam turned him down, thinking it
was a CIA setup job
Still, the US did nothing to prevent Khan from
continuing the network and selling nuclear technology
Throughout 1990s, Khan Network became very rich, a
millionaire, collecting expensive cars, became very greedy, and
wanting money....also fueled by resentment towards the west
May 1998, Pakistan exploded it's first nuclear bomb,
one month following India's successful test. They called it "not the
Pakistani bomb but the Islamic bomb"
Pakistan's Kahuta Labs began openly advertising
nuclear technology
Khan starts traveling all over the world, including
North Korea
North Korea provided missiles for Atomic Missiles,
and Pakistan provided centrifuges.
Intelligence on Khan made top priority, in late
1990s....CIA and MI-6 start joint intelligence sharing on Khan
networks
Khan starts meeting with Libya, and the west was
aware of this
Washington wanted to watch this process, to better learn the network
Pursuit of Khan thrown off course by September 11,
since Khan was a national hero, yet the US needed Pakistan' help
against Osama bin Laden
Khan allegedly warned by Musharaf to be careful
Iranian exile group revealed to world the Iranian
nuclear facilities, inspected by the UN six months later, in Natanz
Nuclear inspectors recognized the centrifuges as very
similar to the design from URENCO, in the Netherlands, when Khan
worked there, and stole the designs
New ventilation system recently installed, and new
floor had been put in very recently
Chemical analysis revealed the centrifuges could not
have been built in Iran, so Iran was clearly lying. Iran admitted
working with Khan 16 years ago, in 1987, in Dubai, with Khan, Tahir,
his uncle Muhammad Faruq, and Heinz Mabus. Iran paid $3 million for
the centrifuge technology, and later paid millions more. US
intelligence was looking in the wrong places
In 2003, Libya agreed to give up nuclear program, and
rejoin the international community, away from isolationism.
Malaysian contracting company Skony (sp?) got
contract, and project overseen by Ers Tinner (Khan associate).
MI-6/CIA activated an agent at the heart of the contract, and found
the materials were destined for Libya, via Dubai, and diverted the
ship to Italy, somehow
In Italy, the intelligence team examined the cargo,
and found centrifuge parts for Libya, some from Malaysia, and some
from Kahuta
Libyan diplomats were summoned to London, and met
with Robert Joseph of US State Dept
Weapons inspectors from UN arrived in Libya, and
learned that Khan started meeting with Libya in mid-1990s, in Dubai,
Istanbul, and Casablanca. Khan said it would be $100 million
Secret site in outskirts of Tripoli is where the
vacuum pumps and motors, from Kahuta and Malaysia, were located. A
bag from Khan's tailor, featuring the Chinese missile design, was
found there too.
Tahir captured in Malaysia and confessed
Pakistan forced Khan to confess on television
Khan sentenced to house arrest
Pakistan admitted to helping Libya, Iran, and North
Korea, but denied it helped North Korea's nuclear tests. It says
that Khan acted alone.
Natanz capable of housing up to 50,000 gas
centrifuges
Late 2005, IAEA inspectors some of the Khan documents
in Iran speak of how to cast uranium metal into a sphere which is
only really relevant to need for a bomb, and were also very similar
to the tailor bag contents from Tripoli, which then suggests the
Iranians were involved in a weapons program
Khan has spread Weapons of Mass Destruction to the
most dangerous regimes in the world, unlike Osama bin Laden, who has
been restricted to conventional terrorist attacks, making Khan more
dangerous than Osama bin Laden, as a result
