Brazil plans to begin producing enriched uranium for the Angra nuclear power station next year (AFP photo/Vanderlei Almeida). IAEA Urges Brazil to Sign Additional Protocol The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on Brazil to sign the Additional Protocol to its nuclear safeguards agreement, which would allow the agency to monitor Brazilian nuclear activity more closely, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 29)...Full Story

Ship Seizure Led Libya to Open WMD-Related Sites, Officials Say An operation conducted this fall through the Proliferation Security Initiative — a U.S.-led effort to interdict suspect shipments of WMD-related cargo — played a role in Libya’s decision to allow U.S. and British experts to visit WMD-related sites, the Wall Street Journal reported today (see GSN, Dec. 30)...Full Story

Ashcroft Recuses Himself From CIA Leak Investigation By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft yesterday recused himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA operative (see GSN, Oct. 27)...Full Story

	Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Ship Seizure Led Libya to Open WMD-Related Sites, Officials Say An operation conducted this fall through the Proliferation Security Initiative — a U.S.-led effort to interdict suspect shipments of WMD-related cargo — played a role in Libya’s decision to allow U.S. and British experts to visit WMD-related sites, the Wall Street Journal reported today (see GSN, Dec. 30). In September, U.S. and British intelligence learned that a German-owned freighter was leaving a Persian Gulf port with uranium enrichment centrifuge equipment bound for Libya, U.S. officials said. U.S. and British officials alerted the German government, which in turn contacted the ship’s owner, who agreed to divert it, according to the Journal. The ship arrived in an Italian port, where the centrifuge equipment was found onboard. The capture of the equipment appeared to have an impact on Libya, which had previously discussed only in general terms with U.S. and British officials about allowing access to WMD-related sites, U.S. officials said. Once the centrifuge shipment was blocked, “they saw how much we knew about what they were doing,” a U.S. official said (Carla Anne Robbins, Wall Street Journal, Dec. 31). Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday that his agency, and his agency alone, would dismantle Libya’s nuclear weapons program, according to the Associated Press. The IAEA would welcome U.S. and British intelligence that would aid agency inspectors in Libya, ElBaradei said. He also said, however, that the IAEA would be responsible for dismantling Libya’s nuclear program — contrary to U.S. plans to send technical experts to assist in such efforts. “I am not familiar with anything they plan to do on a bilateral basis,” ElBaradei said of the U.S. plans. “As far as I’m concerned, we have the mandate, and we intend to do it alone,” he added (George Jahn, Associated Press/Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 31). Back to top       Ashcroft Recuses Himself From CIA Leak Investigation By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft yesterday recused himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA operative (see GSN, Oct. 27). The Justice Department is investigating the leak of the identity and CIA status of the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who this summer publicly criticized evidence offered by the Bush administration as justification for the invasion of Iraq. Soon after Wilson’s aired his criticism, his wife’s status as an undercover CIA operative was disclosed in a column by Robert Novak — a move Wilson has alleged was meant as an intimidation tactic. It is a federal crime to reveal the identity of clandestine intelligence officers. Over the past several months, Ashcroft and the Justice Department, with White House support, have resisted calls by congressional Democrats for the attorney general to recuse himself and to appoint an independent prosecutor to oversee the case. Yesterday, however, Deputy Attorney General James Comey announced that Ashcroft and his office staff had recused themselves from the investigation. “The attorney general, in an abundance of caution, believed that his recusal was appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances and the facts and evidence developed at this stage of the investigation. I agree with that judgment.  And I also agree that he made it at the appropriate time, the appropriate point in this investigation,” Comey said. In addition, Comey also announced yesterday that as acting attorney general in this case, he had appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as special prosecutor to head the investigation. Fitzgerald is an “absolutely apolitical career prosecutor,” Comey said, noting Fitzgerald’s experience in national security and intelligence matters. “I once told a Chicago newspaper that Pat Fitzgerald was Eliot Ness with a Harvard law degree and a sense of humor. Anyone who knows him, who knows his work, who knows his background, knows that he is the perfect man for this job,” Comey said. In his role as special prosecutor, Fitzgerald will have broad authority over how the leak investigation is conducted and will not need to seek Justice Department approval for any actions or prosecutive decisions taken, Comey said.  “I told him that my mandate to him was very simple: Follow the facts wherever they lead, and do the right thing at all times,” he said. While saying that Fitzgerald was appointed “from outside our normal chain of command” to head the leak investigation, Comey also acknowledged that he could revoke the authority given to Fitzgerald. “In theory I could, yeah. And I’d better have a darn good reason for doing it, because you’d have your hands in the air,” he told reporters. According to Comey, Ashcroft’s decision to recuse himself from the case came together “really in the last week.” He refused to provide any details behind Ashcroft’s decision, though, saying only that “it’s fair to say that an accumulation of facts throughout the course of the investigation over the last several months has led us to this point.” Comey denied that a conflict of interest led to Ashcroft’s decision. “The issue that he was concerned about was one of appearance,” Comey said. According to the New York Times today, though, some officials have suggested that Ashcroft’s decision was based on political concerns.  “The Justice Department and Ashcroft in particular have been in an impossible situation,” the Times quoted a White House adviser as saying. “Unless he finds everybody at the White House guilty, his critics will charge that he was soft,” the adviser said. Both Comey and the White House yesterday denied that the White House had been consulted on the issue. “The Justice Department made its decision independently, which is exactly the way it should be. As the deputy attorney general mentioned, the Justice Department, as a courtesy, informed the White House this morning. The White House was not consulted on the decision, which, again, is exactly the way it should be,” White House spokesman Trent Duffy said. Duffy also said that U.S. President George W. Bush continues to support the investigation. “No one more than the president of the United States wants to get to the bottom of this,” he said. Congressional Democrats yesterday praised Ashcroft’s decision to recuse himself from the investigation. “Throughout America, there was much concern that the investigation of the CIA leak would not be conducted in a fearless and thorough manner. As a result of the action by the attorney general and the Justice Department, much of that concern can be allayed,” Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a long advocate of an investigation into the leak and of Ashcroft removing himself from the case, said yesterday in a press statement. Schumer also offered praise for Fitzgerald’s appointment to head the case, even though it was not the outside special counsel many Democrats had wanted.  “It is not everything we asked for but it comes darn close. And tonight, the American people can, as a result, feel more assured that there will be a full and thorough investigation, no matter where it leads,” he said. Comey yesterday defended the decision to appoint a special prosecutor from within the Justice Department, saying the move “permits this investigation to move forward immediately and to avoid the delay that would come from selecting, clearing and staffing an outside special counsel operation.” “In addition, in many ways the mandate that I am giving to Mr. Fitzgerald is significantly broader than that that would go to an outside special counsel,” Comey added. Some Democrats, however, have said that the changes in the leak investigation are not enough to assure the public over its handling, the Associated Press reported today. Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a contender for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, was quoted by AP as saying that Comey and Fitzgerald “are both Bush political appointees and carry the same baggage as John Ashcroft.” During his press conference yesterday, Comey refused to comment on whether he believed the investigation would ultimately result in a prosecution. “All I can tell you is that I’m confident that the facts will be found professionally and that the judgments will be made by someone with impeccable judgment and impartiality, and that is Mr. Fitzgerald,” he said. Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy, said today, though, that the recent changes to the investigation’s structure shows that the effort “somewhat surprisingly” has not stalled. “Enough new facts were apparently uncovered to trigger Ashcroft’s recusal. We don’t know what those facts are, but all indications are that the case is active. Putting it another way:  It was out of the news for many weeks, and now it is on the front pages,” Aftergood said in a written response to Global Security Newswire. Back to top

IAEA Urges Brazil to Sign Additional Protocol The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on Brazil to sign the Additional Protocol to its nuclear safeguards agreement, which would allow the agency to monitor Brazilian nuclear activity more closely, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 29). “The IAEA encourages Brazil, as it does all countries with sophisticated nuclear fuel cycles, to sign and bring into force the Additional Protocol, to provide the agency with the additional authority it requires in order to provide the necessary peaceful use assurances,” said IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming. Brazil, which is on the verge of enriching its own uranium — announced recently that it does not intend to sign the protocol (Stan Lehman, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Dec. 30). Brazilian Science and Technology Minister Roberto Amaral said that by 2010, Brazil wants to produce 60 percent of the uranium used in the country’s nuclear power plants. By 2014, Brazilian officials plan to be able to export uranium (Brazil’s O Globo, Dec. 29 in FBIS-LAT, Dec. 29). Meanwhile, two nonproliferation experts warned in an International Herald Tribune commentary today that Brazil’s reluctance to sign the protocol undermines international nonproliferation efforts. “Brazil’s uranium enrichment program remains a threat to the nuclear nonproliferation regime,” wrote James Goodby, who served as chief U.S. negotiator for cooperative threat reduction under former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and Kenneth Weisbrode of the Atlantic Council of the United States. “The program will give Brazil a basis for making nuclear weapons on short notice. Similar programs in Libya, Iraq, Iran, and North Korea have rightly been seen as either direct or indirect threats to international peace and security,” the two said. The commentary also called for strengthening international nonproliferation regimes, in part by tightening regulation over nationally owned uranium enrichment plants (Goodby/Weisbrode, International Herald Tribune, Dec. 31). Back to top       Tehran Says Policy Shifts, Not Aid, Will Thaw U.S-Iranian Relations Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said yesterday that the United States needs to alter its policy toward Iran if a dialogue is to begin between the two long-time foes (see GSN, Dec. 30). U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell suggested Monday that U.S. aid to Iran in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake could help thaw relations, but Khatami yesterday warned against expecting too much. “Humanitarian issues should not be intertwined with deep and chronic political problems,” Khatami said. “If we see a change both in the tone and behavior of the U.S. administration, then a new situation will develop in our relations,” he added (Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, Dec. 31). A U.S. State Department spokesman also took a cautious approach yesterday. While noting some recent “positive developments,” spokesman Adam Ereli said “we are not offering negotiations.” “It’s important to note that Iran is among the world’s major, foremost state sponsors of terror,” he added (Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times, Dec. 31). While direct discussions are not imminent, some experts said the deployment of U.S. emergency workers could only help relations. “It could be used as a starting point for dialogue,” said Davoud Hermitas Bavand, a political scientist at Tehran University. “Every situation, every occasion, every incident, if used properly, could be used for constructive relations,” he added. Mohammad Shariati, an adviser to Khatami, agreed. “There is no doubt that the way countries behave at the time of trouble for other countries will affect decision-making and will pave the way for other matters,” he said. Iranian officials welcomed the U.S. relief and the emergency workers. “You are talking about politics, but these are doctors,” said Iranian Deputy Health Minister Mohammad Akbari. “They are not Mr. Bush or Mr. Rumsfeld coming to kill us,” he added (MacFarquhar, New York Times). Back to top       Israel Considering Ways to Muzzle Vanunu After Prison Release Israeli security officials are looking into ways to prevent a former nuclear technician from divulging secrets about Israel’s alleged nuclear weapons program, the London Guardian reported today (see GSN, May 13). Mordechai Vanunu was sentenced to prison for 18 years after giving pictures and descriptions of alleged Israeli nuclear weapons facilities to the London Sunday Times in 1986.   He is due for release in 2004 and Israeli officials are concerned that he will reveal more secrets after being freed. Vanunu has said he wants to leave Israel when he is released from prison. Security officials are considering barring him from traveling outside the country or speaking in public (Gavin Rabinowitz/London Guardian, Dec. 31). Back to top

FDA Rules Anthrax Vaccine “Effective” Against Inhalational Anthrax The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday that the current anthrax vaccine has been determined to be effective in preventing both the skin form and the inhaled version of anthrax (see GSN, Dec. 29). Last week, a U.S. federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to halt the U.S. Defense Department’s use of the vaccine in inoculating military personnel. In his injunction, the judge, who described the vaccine as an “investigational drug,” said the FDA had approved the vaccine for use in preventing skin exposure to anthrax, but not against the inhaled version (Thom Shanker, New York Times, Dec. 31). In a press statement yesterday, however, the FDA said the vaccine, known as Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, “is safe and effective for the prevention of anthrax disease — regardless of the route of exposure.” The agency also said that it did not regard the vaccine as “investigational” for protecting against inhalational anthrax, and that such a determination is “relevant and should be considered in any further litigation in this matter” (U.S. Food and Drug Administration release, Dec. 30). Yesterday, the U.S. Justice Department filed an emergency motion asking a federal judge to remove last week’s injunction, the New York Times reported (Shanker, New York Times). A Pentagon spokesman said that the department would continue its temporary suspension of the anthrax vaccination program “until legal issues are resolved” (Maggie Fox, Reuters, Dec. 30). Back to top

Honeywell Fined for Unlicensed Chemical Export Honeywell International Inc. has agreed to pay a $36,000 fine to settle charges that it shipped hydrogen fluoride to Mexico without a necessary export license, the U.S. Commerce Department announced yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 16). Company officials did not obtain export licenses for 12 shipments of hydrogen fluoride, which can be used to make chemical weapons. Honeywell voluntarily disclosed the violation, according to a Commerce Department release (U.S. Department of Commerce release, Dec. 30). Back to top

Iraq Acquired Missile Engines From Poland, Documents Reveal In 2001, Iraq orchestrated an illicit network to obtain old rocket engines to modify its al-Samoud 2 ballistic missiles, the Los Angeles Times reported today (see GSN, Aug. 20). The existence and depth of the network was revealed in Iraqi military-industrial documents recovered after Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the Times. The documents describe a deal involving an Iraqi missile development facility, an Iraqi procurement company and a Polish export firm, the Times reported. In addition, the arrangement was funded by a Jordanian bank and overseen by a Syrian firm. The clandestine effort netted Iraq 380 engines for old air-defense missiles, but the al-Samouds were never modified sufficiently to allow the engines to be fitted, according to the Times. In the summer of 2001, Iraq signed four contracts to acquire Volga/SA-2 rocket engines from Poland between January 2001 and August 2002, the Times reported. Baghdad intended to use the engines to extend the range of its al-Samoud 2 missile. The engine contracts were signed by Karama Co., Iraq’s main missile development facility; the Armos Trading Co., an Iraqi procurement organization; and the Polish firm Evax, according to the Times. According to a June 2001 contract, Evax was to provide Iraq with 96 Volga engines of “Eastern production” for about $1.3 million. To obtain the engines, Evax used Polish scrap dealers and middlemen, who gathered Volga rocket components from scrapyards operated by the Polish Military Property Agency, the Times reported.  Both the Iraqis and the Polish firm seemed confident of their ability to smuggle the engines into Iraq undetected, the Times reported. “The embargo against Iraq is not considered an (obstacle) for the supplying Polish party,” the June contract said (Fleishman/Drogin, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 31). Back to top       India Plans Long-Range Agni Test Within Next Few Months India plans to conduct a test of its long-range, nuclear-capable Agni 3 ballistic missile within the next few months, V.K. Aatre, head of the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization, said today (see GSN, Oct. 29). “We are slightly behind schedule as we had some technical problem[s],” Aatre said (Keralanext.com, Dec. 31)   Back to top

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