German Man Denies Nuclear Smuggling Charges

A German national pleaded not guilty yesterday in a South African court to charges linking him to the nuclear black market once operated by Pakistan’s top atomic scientist, Reuters reported (see GSN, Aug. 23, 2005).

Gerhard Wisser, 67, has been linked to attempts to obtain gas centrifuge technology on behalf of Libya for uranium enrichment.

Wisser and co-defendant Daniel Geiges, 66, a Swiss national, are alleged to have participated in the international network operated by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, which supplied nuclear equipment to nations including Iran, Libya and North Korea (see GSN, Nov. 27, 2006).

Geiges presently is hospitalized, but is scheduled for a court appearance next month, Reuters reported.

Charges against a third suspect, Johan Meyer, were dropped after he became a state witness (see GSN, Sept. 9, 2004).

Prosecutors are seeking to have the trials of Geiges and Wisser conducted behind closed doors, and to prevent publication of all details of the trials (Andrew Quinn, Reuters, March 1).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.