Suspected Nuclear Smuggler May Have Aided India as Well as Pakistan

An Israeli businessman charged in the United States with exporting nuclear weapon-capable technology to Pakistan may also have worked to help arm India, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Jan. 13).

Last month, U.S. authorities arrested South Africa-based Asher Karni during a visit to the United States on allegations that he obtained the equipment that could be used as nuclear weapon “triggers” for Pakistan from a U.S. company through front companies and fraudulent documents, AP reported. Court papers filed by U.S. federal prosecutors in the case include e-mail exchanges between Karni and an Indian businessman seeking to covertly obtain materials for two Indian rocket factories, AP reported.

The e-mails, from Raghavendra Rao of Foretek Marketing (Pvt.) Ltd., ask Karni to obtain three types of high-tech equipment while concealing that they were meant for the rocket laboratories Liquid Propulsion System Center and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, according to AP. The United States restricts exports to the two Indian rocket facilities.

The court documents also describe additional deals Karni made with his Pakistani contact, Humayun Khan of the company Pakland PME, AP reported. One such deal involved an attempt by Karni to obtain an oscilloscope capable of being used in nuclear weapons efforts through the same U.S. company, Giza Technologies Inc., that he used to acquire the triggers. In May, Karni asked Tektronix Inc., which makes the oscilloscope, if he could purchase one for Pakistan, according to the court records. The company, however, told Karni he needed to first obtain a U.S. export license, and there was no indication Karni contacted Tektronix again.

Prosecutors and Karni’s lawyers agreed yesterday to postpone a hearing to determine if he can be freed on bond while awaiting trial (Matt Kelley, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Feb. 20). 

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