Koreans showed nuclear weapons
David E. Sanger / NYT
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Pakistani was first to see secrets
WASHINGTON Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Pakistani scientist who sold nuclear technology around the world, has told his interrogators that during a trip to North Korea five years ago, he was taken to a secret underground nuclear plant and shown what he described as three nuclear devices, according to Asian and U.S. officials who have been briefed by the Pakistanis.
If Khan's report is true, this would mark the first time that any foreigner has reported seeing North Korean nuclear devices. Past CIA assessments of North Korea's nuclear capability have been based on knowledge of its plutonium production and assessments that North Korea had the technical ability to turn plutonium into weapons.
Khan, known as the father of the Pakistani bomb, said he was allowed to inspect the weapons briefly, according to the account that Pakistan has begun to provide in classified briefings to nations within reach of North Korea's missiles. U.S. intelligence officials caution that they cannot say whether Khan had the time, expertise or equipment to verify the claims. But they note that the number of plutonium weapons roughly accords with previous CIA estimates that North Korea had one or two weapons and the ability to produce more.
White House officials declined to discuss the intelligence reports, saying through a spokesman that the subject was "too sensitive." But Vice President Dick Cheney was fully briefed on Khan's assertions before he left for Asia over the weekend, and he was expected to cite the intelligence to China's leaders on Tuesday to press the point that negotiations over disarming North Korea are going too slowly, administration officials said. They expect him to argue that the Bush administration is losing patience and may seek stronger action including sanctions at the United Nations.
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