Pakistan nuclear scientists in Taliban Custody

[Mojorabbit]

Interesting article in the India paper.
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=358644&sid=WOR&ssid=
New Delhi, March 07: Two top nuclear scientists of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) are currently in Taliban custody. The two were working at PAEC’s facility in North West Frontier Province. Zee News investigations reveal that the two scientists were kidnapped about six months ago. To avoid international embarrassment Pakistan Government has kept this information under wraps.

According to information available with Zee News, nuclear scientists have been kidnapped by Taliban at the behest of Al-Qaeda. Further investigations reveal that Al-Qaeda may be using the expertise of the scientists to produce nuclear bombs. The two scientists are reportedly being held somewhere in Waziristan, near Afghanistan border.

In January this year Pakistan security agencies had foiled another attempt by Taliban militia to kidnap nuclear scientists. Earlier, incidents of Taliban militia stealing uranium in NWFP have already been reported. PAEC also has a uranium mining facility in NWFP.

With repeated Al Qaeda threats to the US, news of kidnapping of nuclear scientists will increase pressure on Pakistan to attack terrorist camps.

Bureau Report


Thoughts?

[TheWraith]

1. Sounds like rumor-mongering to me.

Possibly fueled by the Indian government in an effort to get the US to look less favorably on the Pakis.) (Not that they don't deserve it, but that's another story.) Out of curiousity, how much refined uranium can there really be in a locale that's still dealing with the new idea of running water?

[stillcool]

2. very interesting....

Zee News investigations reveal that the two scientists were kidnapped about six months ago. To avoid international embarrassment Pakistan Government has kept this information under wraps.

According to information available with Zee News, nuclear scientists have been kidnapped by Taliban at the behest of Al-Qaeda. Further investigations reveal that Al-Qaeda may be using the expertise of the scientists to produce nuclear bombs. The two scientists are reportedly being held somewhere in Waziristan, near Afghanistan border.

In January this year Pakistan security agencies had foiled another attempt by Taliban militia to kidnap nuclear scientists. Earlier, incidents of Taliban militia stealing uranium in NWFP have already been reported. PAEC also has a uranium mining facility in NWFP.

With repeated Al Qaeda threats to the US, news of kidnapping of nuclear scientists will increase pressure on Pakistan to attack terrorist camps.

[applegrove]

3. If true..terrifying!

:scared:

[rug]

4. Yeah, I'm sure they're all chained to the Taliban's cyclotron even as we speak.

[Blue Meany]

5. BBC reported 4 PAEC officials kidnapped

Here is the begining of a BBC report from January 14:

"At least four officials of the Atomic Energy Commission based in Banda Daud Shah Tehsil of Karak District were kidnapped from their office by armed men on Sunday <14 January>, sources said."

Karak is a district of the Northwest Frontier Province cited in the Zeenews article, so presume this is a report of the same incident.

[Mojorabbit]

6. Wasn't there something about

pakistans nuclear scientists selling components a long time ago? I was hoping someone would remember.
I don't know all the ins and outs of the political situation there but I seem to remember they did not have a tight hold on their nuclear products at one time.

[stillcool]

7. A.Q. Khan’s Nuclear Walmart

robertpaulsen
Original message
Plame twofer - The Waterman Paper and American Judas
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4390395
C. A.Q. Khan’s Nuclear Walmart

Nuclear experts are aghast at the size of the network, which extends from Switzerland to Japan to Dubai. Over 30 years, Khan put together what Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called "a veritable Wal-Mart" for nuclear-weapons buyers, a not-so-secret netherworld where proliferation meshed with globalization. Khan even held nuclear-related symposiums. "The horse is out of the barn. At this point, we can't stop the technology from spreading," says former Clinton official Gary Samore. One senior U.S. official told NEWSWEEK that Khan's role in destabilizing the 21st century will "loom up there" with Hitler's and Stalin's impact in the 20th. Even so, most of the A.Q. Khan network's key operatives will likely escape punishment, officials concede.(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4270904 )
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4390395

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. Well That's Some Scary Shit Right There.

I can only pray with all my heart that the day never comes where they have been able to manufacture a nuclear device. Lord knows they want to so badly.

[oblivious]

9. Any proof that the Taliban want to manufacture a nuclear device so badly?

I don't remember reading any indication of that.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. If You Don't Think They Or Al-Qaeda Would, Then I Don't Know What To Tell Ya.

I mean, the Taliban is all good, righteous, innocent and peaceful right? :eyes:

[oblivious]

12. They seem to be gaining against the combined might NATO with rifles, IEDs and car bombs.

What need do they have for a nuke? What on earth would they do with it?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. "What on earth would they do with it?"

Ummmm, they'd sit around and play cards on it. Yup. That's what they'd do methinks.

[oblivious]

14. What would they do? Nuke their own country? Send it to the US on a swimming donkey?

[Mojorabbit]

15. I don't buy into the constant fear mongering

this administration does, but we don't exactly have the best reputation in that part of the world and there are plenty of people there who do hold a grudge and have good reason to want to do us harm.

I think that it would be relatively easy considering the security at our ports and borders for something to be smuggled in. Hell, stuff is smuggled in everyday including people.

I read in the pakistani papers that they were waiting on the arrival of illegals we were deporting back there. So if I had seen this article in our papers I might have been more inclined to ignore it but it was in India's paper and nothing in our news so I thought it interesting.

[Mojorabbit]

11. I am digging around in the pakistani online newspapers

and no luck so far. But lots of CIA coming in to look for Osama, some kind of war games which we are participating in, lots of fighting in Waziristan, and they are saying they have enough nuclear firepower to resist any kind of attack, some problems with fear upcoming elections will not happen and they will not be able to get rid of Musharraf, plus an antiterrorism conference with India.

Will do some more digging after I cook dinner.