South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck (left) and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly shown last month in Seoul. Japan, South Korea and the United States have agreed on a proposal to offer North Korea to resolve the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear crisis (AFP/Getty). Japan, South Korea, United States Agree on North Korea Plan Japan, South Korea and the United States have reached consensus on a proposal to end a nuclear standoff with North Korea, the New York Times reported today (see GSN, Dec. 5). The proposal calls for a “coordinated” set of actions in which the three nations, plus China and Russia would offer North Korea a nonaggression pact as Pyongyang begins the verifiable dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program. A second round of talks among the six nations will probably not take place this month, according to U.S. and Asian officials...Full Story

Republican Lawmakers Denounce U.S. Nuclear Weapon Development An influential Republican congressman and erstwhile White House ally has denounced the Bush administration’s plan to conduct research into new types of nuclear weapons for the U.S. arsenal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 24)...Full Story

Iraqi Military Officer Says He Was the Source for Disputed 45-Minute Claim An Iraqi military officer has come forward as the source of last year’s British claim that Iraq could launch a WMD attack within 45 minutes of receiving an order to do so, the London Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 16)...Full Story

	Monday, December 8, 2003

Idaho Terrorism Suspect Gained Access to Radiological Laboratory A University of Idaho graduate student who is under investigation for terrorist links allegedly gained access to a campus laboratory that contained radiological material, according to court documents cited in yesterday’s Spokane Spokesman-Review. Sami Omar al-Hussayen, a Saudi Arabian who was working on his doctoral degree in computer science, moved his office from the computer science department into the engineering isotope lab without his adviser’s knowledge or permission, according to the documents. He was reportedly assisted by another Saudi national at the school. Al-Hussayen has so far only been charged with student visa fraud but he operated several militant Islamic Web sites that espoused violence against the West and authorities suspect he is linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network, the Spokesman-Review reported. “The investigation of Sami al-Hussayen has, from its outset, been focused on suspected material support to terrorism, particularly to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network,” FBI agent Michael Gnecknow said in the documents. Investigators determined that al-Hussayen primarily used the laboratory after hours, the Spokesman-Review reported. Al-Hussayen “had little or no contact with individuals who might question his right to access that facility,” Gnecknow said. “This pattern of clandestine activity was of concern to terrorism task force members,” he added. The documents expressed concern that al-Hussayen would use the radiological material for a “dirty bomb.” Al-Hussayen’s trial on the visa charges is scheduled for Jan. 20, but it would probably be delayed if further charges are added (Bill Morlin, Spokane Spokesman-Review, Dec. 7). Back to top

Iraqi Military Officer Says He Was the Source for Disputed 45-Minute Claim An Iraqi military officer has come forward as the source of last year’s British claim that Iraq could launch a WMD attack within 45 minutes of receiving an order to do so, the London Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 16). Lt. Col. al-Dabbagh, who commanded an air-defense unit stationed in western Iraq, said that cases of WMD warheads were delivered to front-line units late last year. The warheads, which were designed to be launched by hand-held rocket-propelled grenades, were intended for use by the elite Special Republican Guard and Fedayeen paramilitary units when the war reached “a critical stage,” al-Dabbagh said. Al-Dabbagh, who spied for the Iraqi National Accord exile group for several years, said he believed he was the source for the 45-minute claim made in a 2002 British intelligence dossier. “I am the one responsible for providing this information,” al-Dabbagh said. “Forget 45 minutes,” he said, “we could have fired these weapons within half-an-hour.” The WMD warheads were not used, though, because the bulk of the Iraqi army did not want to fight for former President Saddam Hussein, according to al-Dabbagh. “The West should thank God that the Iraqi army decided not to fight,” he said. “If the army had fought for Saddam Hussein and used these weapons there would have been terrible consequences,” al-Dabbagh added (Con Coughlin, London Sunday Telegraph I, Dec. 7). After revealing that he was the source of the 45-minute claim, al-Dabbagh received two death threats from Hussein loyalists, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Al-Dabbagh said that such intimidation tactics were frustrating efforts by coalition forces to find evidence of alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. “Saddam’s people are doing this all the time,” he said. “That is why it is so difficult to find the weapons of mass destruction. I am sure the weapons are hidden in Iraq just like I see you now. I am concerned that the chemical and biological weapons are there,” al-Dabbagh added (Con Coughlin, London Sunday Telegraph II, Dec. 7). Back to top

Japan, South Korea, United States Agree on North Korea Plan Japan, South Korea and the United States have reached consensus on a proposal to end a nuclear standoff with North Korea, the New York Times reported today (see GSN, Dec. 5). The proposal calls for a “coordinated” set of actions in which the three nations, plus China and Russia would offer North Korea a nonaggression pact as Pyongyang begins the verifiable dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program. A second round of talks among the six nations will probably not take place this month, according to U.S. and Asian officials. A significant omission from the proposal is any demand for North Korea to return to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. At a later date the United States might seek such a move, according to a U.S. official, but right now that demand “may be too much” for North Korea. The proposal also insists that the North Korean dismantlement be verified by teams of U.S. and Asian inspectors. The inspections would include access to a possible uranium enrichment site, which was detected by U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials last year. “I suspect that’s a deal breaker for the North Koreans,” said a senior U.S. official, “but we’ll see” (David Sanger, New York Times, Dec. 8). The proposal appears to conflict with earlier North Korean demands for “simultaneous” concessions. “Our concept was staged, or step-by-step. We now call it coordinated steps,” said a senior South Korean official involved in North Korean policy (Paul Eckert, Reuters, Dec. 8). The proposal will be sent to Beijing and it will be forwarded on to Pyongyang, according to South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck. “The next few days are crucial. I am neither optimistic or pessimistic,” he said (Sang-hun Choe, Associated Press/Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dec. 7). China, meanwhile, is calling for more frequent six-nation talks to defuse the standoff. “We view China’s proposal to make six-way talks regular ones as very reasonable,” Lee said (Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, Dec. 8). Meanwhile, North Korean officials will hold talks this week with the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization over the suspended construction on two light-water nuclear reactors, according to a South Korean official. The talks will include “various issues including how to preserve facilities and equipment during the suspension,” the official said (Associated Press/CNN.com, Dec. 8). In addition, senior European Union diplomats are beginning a four-day visit to Pyongyang today to discuss the nuclear crisis (Korea Herald, Dec. 8). Back to top       Republican Lawmakers Denounce U.S. Nuclear Weapon Development An influential Republican congressman and erstwhile White House ally has denounced the Bush administration’s plan to conduct research into new types of nuclear weapons for the U.S. arsenal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 24). Congress recently lifted a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons and allocated more than $6 million for the effort. “I’m totally offended by this administration,” said Representative Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), the second ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. “I happen to think they’re out of bounds on this. There’s an important sea change in the world, and we have no idea what our policy is. It’s a major scandal in the making,” he added. Other usually hawkish Republican lawmakers agreed with Weldon, who described himself as “totally frustrated” with the move, the Chronicle reported. “We have more nuclear weapons now than we know what to do with,” said Representative David Hobson (R-Ohio), chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee, which controls the nuclear weapons appropriations. “I’m concerned about our image in the world when we’re telling others not to build these things, and then we push these new programs,” he added. Representative Joel Hefley (R-Colo.), also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said the United States does not need new nuclear weapons. “We cause more harm than good in our relations with other countries and in our moral position on nuclear proliferation,” he said. Linton Brooks, the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, applauded the recent congressional efforts. “This has been a good year,” he said, “I’m pretty happy we essentially got what we wanted.” Brooks said the new research represents “a more fundamental shift in the way we look at this than many people realize” (James Sterngold, San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 7). Back to top       ElBaradei Repeats Call for More International Control Over Nuclear Fuel Cycle Activities International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei has reiterated his call for greater multilateral control over nuclear fuel cycle activities to prevent countries from obtaining weapon-grade material, Reuters reported yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 4). In remarks released yesterday, ElBaradei said that the “most critical part” of developing nuclear weapons is obtaining the necessary weapon-grade material, which is still a “national prerogative” under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. “It is not enough that each country now has the so-called sovereign right to develop plutonium and sit on it ... and have highly enriched uranium,” ElBaradei said. “What I’m looking (for) is a better multinational control over the sensitive parts of the fuel cycle,” he said. Such multilateral control could only be established by international consensus, ElBaradei said. “Maybe in the future the time (will) come that we need an Additional Protocol to the NPT itself. I can see (one) that would restrict the right of states (with) regard to sensitive parts of the fuel cycle. ... (It) might also look into disarmament itself, with a timetable,” he said. In addition, ElBaradei also said that he hoped the time would one day come where the international community saw nuclear weapons as “taboo.” “I would like to see the way we perceive nuclear weapons as the way we perceive slavery or genocide, as a taboo. Are we going to be able to say we will never see an act of genocide? Probably not.  But we have come a long way controlling slavery and genocide,” he said (Reuters, Dec. 7). Back to top       Iran Reaffirms Intention to Sign Additional Protocol Iran said yesterday that it is still committed to signing the Additional Protocol to its nuclear safeguards agreement, but Iranian officials gave no indication of when they would formally ink the deal (see GSN, Dec. 5). Some Western officials have accused Iran of stalling on its promise to sign the protocol — that would permit more intrusive international monitoring of Iranian nuclear activities — but International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said last week that he expects Iran to sign the accord “shortly.” “From our point of view, it’s definite. We have announced to the IAEA that we have agreed to sign,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza. “The matter is now under study at the Cabinet. After the initial signature and finalization of the issue, it will be handed over to the parliament,” he added (Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Dec. 7). Back to top       British Warships Carried Nuclear Weapons During Falkland Islands War British warships carried nuclear weapons during the 1982 British-Argentine war over the Falkland Islands, the British Defense Ministry said Saturday (see GSN, Oct. 14). The ships carried Type WE177 nuclear depth charges, which could have been launched from battleships or fighter aircraft, according to the Australian Herald Sun. While the ministry did not disclose the number of nuclear weapons or ships carrying them, a ministry spokesman said that none of the weapons had entered Argentine or Falkland waters. The WE177 weapons were later scrapped in 1992 (David Williams, Herald Sun, Dec. 7). Yesterday, a British Foreign Office spokesman said nuclear weapons carried by British ships were “offloaded” before they reached the South Atlantic to ensure British compliance with the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which created a nuclear weapon-free zone in Latin America and the Caribbean (see GSN, Nov. 6). “There were no nuclear weapons in Argentinian waters and there were no nuclear weapons around the Falklands,” the spokesman said (London Guardian, Dec. 8). Argentina has asked the United Kingdom to confirm that none of the British ships sunk during the war were carrying nuclear weapons, according to Reuters. In addition, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has demanded an apology for the “regrettable and monstrous” act of arming British ships with nuclear weapons during the war over the islands, called the Falklands in the United Kingdom and named Malvinas in Argentina. “What Argentina needs is for (Britain) to have the decency to make a necessary apology,” Kirchner said. “Britain should never have usurped sovereignty over the Malvinas. ... I am simply demanding the rights of Argentines and I hope (Prime Minister) Tony Blair understands that and is listening,” he added (Reuters/CNN.com, Dec. 7). The British Defense Ministry Saturday denied that the destroyer HMS Sheffield, which was sunk during the war, had carried nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported in 1991 that the destroyer had been carrying a nuclear weapon when it was sunk, according to the Herald Sun.  After the ship went down, a salvage mission was sent to retrieve “sensitive” equipment, and the United Kingdom neither confirmed nor denied that the ship carried nuclear weapons (Williams, Herald Sun). Back to top       German Sale of Plutonium Plant to China to Proceed Germany cannot block the sale of a plutonium processing facility to China, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 4). China is currently in negotiations with Germany to purchase the unused facility, which was built by the German firm Siemens. Schroeder said his government could not stop the sale of the facility. “We have known for a long time that we would have to fulfill this legal claim,” Schroeder said (Xinhuanet.com, Dec. 8). Back to top       Russia Conducts Successful Test of Converted SS-19 ICBM Russia Friday conducted a successful test of its Strela space-launch vehicle, according to Reuters (see GSN, Nov. 14). The Strela, based on a converted SS-19 ICBM, was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, said spokesman Lt.-Col. Igor Zatula. The rocket delivered a mock satellite into low earth orbit, Zatula said, adding that several more tests were needed before the Strela could be used for commercial purposes (Reuters/Planet Ark, Dec. 8). Back to top       U.S. Company Agrees to Pay Fine to Settle Charges of Illegal Nuclear-Related Exports The U.S. firm Reliance Steel & Aluminum has agreed to pay a civil fine of more than $95,000 to settle charges of illegally exporting goods that could be used to build nuclear weapons, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security announced Friday (see GSN, Nov. 14). BIS had charged that the Bralco Metals division of Reliance Steel & Aluminum had made 13 exports of aluminum alloy rods to China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan without obtaining required export licenses. The bureau had also charged that Bralco Metals had submitted documents that falsely said the shipments did not need to be licensed (U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security release, Dec. 5). Back to top

United States Works to Secure Uzbek Biological Facilities The United States has begun work to better secure Soviet-era biological weapons facilities in Uzbekistan, BBC News reported Friday (see GSN, Oct. 6). During the Cold War-era, the largest Soviet anthrax test site was located on Vozrozhdeniya Island in the Aral Sea between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The Soviet Union also established in Central Asia a network of biological research facilities called the Anti-Plague System, BBC News reported. In addition, there are about 4,000 biological specialists in Uzbekistan. “We do know that there are certain institutes in Uzbekistan that maintain dangerous pathogens,” said U.S. State Department microbiologist Geoffrey Stewart. “The Center for Zoonotic Diseases, the former anti-plague institutes — those are all examples. Any place that has veterinary diseases or human diseases is a potential source of pathogenic organisms,” he said (BBC News, Dec. 5).   Back to top

Iranian Company Interested in Homemade Cruise Missile Project After claiming to have built a cruise missile in his garage for less than $5,000, a New Zealand man received offers from an Iranian company interested in his technology, Agence France-Presse reported Saturday (see GSN, June 4). Bruce Simpson, who has described his missile project on a Web site, received “serious inquiries” from the unnamed Iranian company “about investing in the development of the X-jet technology.” His latest comments were posted on another Web site. “I have since had e-mails from Pakistan, Lebanon, China and other countries, all of which sought to obtain details of the X-jet project and some of which have involved seemingly genuine offers of not insignificant payment for such information,” he wrote. Simpson said he contacted the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, who told him it was “certainly not sensible” to export his missile or the technology. He signed an agreement with a U.S. firm, but that deal was abandoned after New Zealand tax authorities declared him bankrupt (Agence France-Presse/Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online, Dec. 6). Back to top       Taiwanese President to Hold Referendum on Chinese Ballistic Missiles Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has decided to hold a referendum March 20 on whether Taiwan should demand that China remove hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting the island, a Taiwanese presidential spokesman said Saturday (see GSN, Dec. 1). “The missile issue will be on the referendum. That’s for sure,” Chen spokesman James Huang said. Chen has also said, however, that he would considering calling off the symbolic referendum if China redeployed its missiles away from Taiwan and renounced the use of force against the island. Some of Chen’s opponents in the presidential election, also scheduled for March 20, have said that the referendum could provoke Beijing. “The missiles deployed by the Chinese communists pose a serious threat, but they don’t put Taiwan’s sovereignty and the status quo in immediate danger,” said opposition candidate Lien Chan (William Foreman, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Dec. 6). Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said that Chen was using the referendum as a “cover” for Taiwanese independence, which Beijing opposes. “The Chinese government also understands the aspiration of people in Taiwan for democracy,” Wen said. “However, the essence of the problem now is that the separatist forces within the Taiwan authorities attempt to use democracy only as a cover to split Taiwan away from China and this is what we will never tolerate,” he said. China hopes to peacefully resolve its dispute with Taiwan, Wen said. “So long as there is still a glimmer of hope,” he said, “the Chinese government will not give up its efforts for peaceful reunification and for a peaceful settlement of the question” (Edith Lederer, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Dec. 8). Back to top       Pakistan Dismantles Missile Statues Pakistan has begun dismantling its public missile statues, the Press Trust of India reported today (see GSN, Oct. 15). Pakistani Capital Development Authority officials Saturday night dismantled a statue of the Ghouri missile in the capital of Islamabad. CDA officials said that missile statutes in other sections of Islamabad would also be dismantled. Pakistani Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said Ghouri statue had been dismantled as part of a capital beautification plan. CDA officials said, however, that the statue was taken down because it did not give an “impressive impression” of Pakistan (Press Trust of India/The Pioneer, Dec. 8). Back to top

U.S. Missile Defense Flight Test Planned for This Week The U.S. Missile Defense Agency plans to conduct a flight test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system near the end of this week, Aerospace Daily reported today (see GSN, Oct. 14). The test of the sea-based system is scheduled to take place over the Pacific Ocean.  The last test failed in June when the Standard Missile 3 interceptor missed a target missile (see GSN, June 19).  The Defense Department plans to field five SM-3 interceptors next year and up to 20 by the end of 2005, Aerospace Daily reported (Marc Selinger, Aerospace Daily, Dec. 8). Back to top

Soviet-Era Rockets Armed With Radioactive Material Are Missing U.S. officials and experts are concerned about a stockpile of Soviet-era rockets armed with radioactive material that has vanished from the separatist enclave of Transdniester, located between the former Soviet states of Moldova and Ukraine, the Washington Post reported yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 15, 2002). The rocket, known as the Alazan, was originally intended for use in Soviet weather experiments, according to the Post. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, a large number of Alazans remained in the newly independent Soviet states and in Eastern Europe. According to William Potter, director of the Monterey Institute for International Studies’ Center for Nonproliferation Studies, there have been at least 50 cases where the Alazan was adapted for combat use. “Some of the reports indicated that the Alazan, which is notoriously inaccurate as a surface-to-surface missile, was used as a psychological or terror weapon,” Potter said. At least three Alazan batteries were known to be located in Transdniester, and two years ago, the Institute for Policy Studies, based in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, obtained a set of official letters written in 1994 by a Transdniester civil defense commander describing “radiological warheads” for the Alazan. One of the letters described an inventory of about 40 “isotopic radioactive warheads” for Alazan-type missile, including 24 that were attached to rockets. Two other letters requested aid in dealing with radiation exposure related to the storage of the warheads. Several U.S. and Moldovan officials said they knew of the reports of Alazans armed with radioactive materials, but could not confirm or deny the existence of such weapons, the Post reported. The last known location of the rockets was at a military airfield north of the city of Tiraspol, but they have been missing since the 1990s, said Oazu Nantoi, a former Moldovan official. “They are not Scuds, but clearly, the only application for these rockets is a military one,” Nantoi said. “Our fear is someone, somewhere, will turn these rockets into dirty bombs,” Nantoi added (Joby Warrick, Washington Post, Dec. 7).   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.