Former CIA Director George Tenet, shown testifying shortly before his 2004 resignation, has raised Bush administration hackles by criticizing current officials in his new book, "At the Center of the Storm" (Alex Wong/Getty Images). Al-Qaeda Seeks Nuclear Weapons, Former CIA Chief Says Acquiring nuclear weapons is the ultimate goal of al-Qaeda, which has canceled terrorist plans that would have smaller effects, former CIA Director George Tenet says in his newly released book (see GSN, April 27). “I am convinced that this is where [Osama bin Laden] and his operatives desperately want to go,” Tenet says in the book “At the Center of the Storm.”  “They understand that bombings by cars, trucks, trains and planes will get them some headlines, to be sure.  But if they manage to set off a mushroom cloud, they will make history.”..Full Story

NPT Meeting Opens in Vienna About 130 nations are expected to participate in a meeting of Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty parties beginning today in Vienna, according to the hosting International Atomic Energy Agency (see GSN, April 24)...Full Story

EU Official Urges U.S. Nuclear Talks With Iran The United States should consider beginning bilateral talks with Iran to help resolve international concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Friday (see GSN, April 26)...Full Story

	Monday, April 30, 2007

Al-Qaeda Seeks Nuclear Weapons, Former CIA Chief Says Acquiring nuclear weapons is the ultimate goal of al-Qaeda, which has canceled terrorist plans that would have smaller effects, former CIA Director George Tenet says in his newly released book (see GSN, April 27). “I am convinced that this is where [Osama bin Laden] and his operatives desperately want to go,” Tenet says in the book “At the Center of the Storm.”  “They understand that bombings by cars, trucks, trains and planes will get them some headlines, to be sure.  But if they manage to set off a mushroom cloud, they will make history.” Tenet describes several al-Qaeda nuclear discussions and efforts, including a high-level meeting in Afghanistan prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and an effort to purchase Russian nuclear warheads in 2002 and 2003, according to the Los Angeles Times. Also in 2003, al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman Zawahiri canceled plans to conduct a cyanide attack in the New York City subway because “we have something better in mind,” according to Tenet.  The cyanide plan “was not sufficiently inspiring,” Tenet says (Julian Barnes, Los Angeles Times, April 28). Al-Qaeda might be prepared to conduct additional attacks soon, he says. “My operational presumption is that they infiltrated a second wave or a third wave into the United States at the time of 9/11,” he said in an interview broadcast yesterday on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” That judgment is based on “operational intuition,” he said, not on tangible evidence. Bush administration officials this weekend reacted to early reports of Tenet’s book by contradicting some of his claims, Bloomberg reported. He writes that his infamous “slam dunk” comment to U.S. President George W. Bush was intended to mean that it would be easy for the CIA to improve its presentation of its case that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction prior to the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, then Bush’s national security adviser, heard another message. “When George said ‘slam dunk,’ everybody understood that he believed that the intelligence was strong,” she said yesterday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” (Jeff Bliss, Bloomberg, April 29). The book also drew fire from former CIA officials. “Tenet now paints himself as a scapegoat for an administration in which there never was ‘a serious consideration of the implications of a U.S. invasion,’ insisting that he warned Bush,” said former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer in a Washington Post commentary yesterday. “At this late date, the Bush-bashing that Tenet's book will inevitably stir up seems designed to rehabilitate Tenet in his first home, the Democratic Party.  He seems to blame the war on everyone but Bush (who gave Tenet the Medal of Freedom) and former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell,” he added (Michael Scheuer, Washington Post, April 29). Back to top       Pakistan Boosts WMD Export Controls Pakistan has formed a new agency intended to improve controls over exports of nuclear material and other weapons components, Agence France-Presse reported today (see GSN, Jan. 31). The Strategic Export Control Division within the Pakistani Foreign Ministry alone could authorize exports of nuclear, missile and biological materials. “The adoption of [the 2004] Export Control Act … and the establishment of SECDIV are a continuing manifestation of Pakistan’s strong commitment to nonproliferation and its determination to fulfill its national and international export control commitments,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam. Pakistan has faced international scrutiny regarding nuclear exports since the discovery of the black market ring led by nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, which shipped material to Iran, Libya and North Korea (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, April 30). Back to top

NPT Meeting Opens in Vienna About 130 nations are expected to participate in a meeting of Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty parties beginning today in Vienna, according to the hosting International Atomic Energy Agency (see GSN, April 24). The two-week session is the first of three annual meetings leading up to the treaty’s next review conference in 2010.  The nations are expected to discuss ways to improve the implementation and effectiveness of the treaty at a time when it faces considerable challenges (International Atomic Energy Agency release, April 30). Those challenges include major proliferation crises in Iran and North Korea as well as U.S. and British plans to upgrade their nuclear arsenals, Agence France-Presse reported. “Let us not mince words, the NPT is in a serious crisis today,” said Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik in her opening address to the meeting (Michael Adler, Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, April 29). One expert said some nations are perceiving more value to having nuclear weapons than they once did, according to Reuters. “As a consequence of how the Bush administration responded to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 ... nuclear weapons are being revalued as instruments of political power projection and military coercion,” said Rebecca Johnson, head of the Acronym Institute. “This is illustrated by the benefits conferred on India, Pakistan and even North Korea when they ‘went nuclear.’  No wonder Iran calculated that enriching uranium would be a win-win strategy,” she said in a paper previewing the meeting (Heinrich/Strohecker, Reuters/Washington Post, April 29). Back to top       EU Official Urges U.S. Nuclear Talks With Iran The United States should consider beginning bilateral talks with Iran to help resolve international concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Friday (see GSN, April 26). Fresh off two days of meetings with lead Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, Solana said there was “some potential motion” toward resuming EU-Iran talks intended to find a long-term solution to the crisis. “At this point in time to have also the United States open a channel of communication with Iran will be worth thinking about,” he said. Bush administration officials have indicated they would not participate in any talks until Iran freezes its uranium enrichment program and other nuclear activities.  The European Union and the U.N. Security Council have made similar demands. “Our position at the moment is well-known,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried.  “So we are stuck” (United Press International, April 28). Meanwhile, Iranian officials this weekend dismissed any possibility that they would curb their enrichment activities.  Last week’s EU-Iran talks raised the possibility that Iran could accept a freeze if it were acceptably defined, Reuters reported.  However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini poured cold water on this idea yesterday. “What has been said about suspension is not correct and it is not true,” he said (Reuters/SwissInfo.com, April 29). Back to top       Bush Advises North Korea to Begin Denuclearization U.S. President George W. Bush on called on North Korea Friday to begin meeting its already delayed commitments under a February denuclearization deal, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, April 27). The five other nations negotiating with Pyongyang in the six-party talks are “patient but our patience is not unlimited,” Bush said following a meeting at Camp David with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “We expect North Korea to meet all its commitments under the Feb. 13 agreement, and we will continue working closely with our partners,” he added. The agreement required Pyongyang by April 14 to close its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and to allow international atomic inspectors back into the country.  North Korea has not taken either action and linked the holdup to collecting $25 million in frozen funds and accessing the international banking system. The international community has “a structure in place” to respond to continued noncompliance by North Korea, Bush said. “We have the capability of more sanctions,” he said.  “We have the capability of convincing other nations to send a clear message” (Agence France-Presse, April 27). North Korea is reportedly moving to move the funds at Banco Delta Asia in Macau to accounts in Italy and Russia, the Associated Press reported yesterday.  That could open the door for progress on the disarmament deal (Associated Press I/New York Times, April 29). The ongoing diplomacy with North Korea has created divisions within the administration, AP reported.  These differences were exacerbated by the closing of an investigation of North Korean financial activities, and the release of the funds linked to those activities, in hopes of promoting success in the disarmament negotiations. Critics say the talks are doomed to failure, no matter what stance Washington takes. “I don’t think there’s any prospect the North Koreans are ever going to comply with this agreement anyway, so I don’t think there’s any surprise,” said John Bolton, who has become a regular critic of U.S. policy on Iran and North Korea since he served as ambassador to the United Nations. Bush denied claims that he has gone soft on North Korea, AP reported. “I think it’s wise to show the North Korean leader … that there’s a better way forward,” he said Friday.  “I wouldn’t call that soft” (Anne Gearan, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, April 28). Back to top       U.S.-Indian Nuclear Talks to Resume Today U.S. and Indian officials are scheduled to meet today and tomorrow in the latest effort to bridge differences over their planned nuclear trade deal, Reuters reported Friday (see GSN, April 27). Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns is set to host Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in meetings to try to complete an agreement detailing the terms of the deal. The two sides have faced difficulties since President George W. Bush signed a law in December that exempted India from many U.S. nuclear nonproliferation rules.  Indian officials have complained that the new law does not go far enough and unacceptably limits India’s nuclear activities, according to Reuters. At this point, only high-ranking leaders can save the deal which has “veered toward the precipice at every stage,” said one former U.S. official. “It’s only been rescued when the leaders grab the steering wheel (and this time) it’s not good enough just to repeat the pieties” of the agreement’s value, said Philip Zelikow, a former State Department official who helped craft the initial 2005 agreement.  Zelikow is now a university professor and adviser to a lobbying firm that promotes the agreement. “The leaders have to roll up their sleeves and get involved in settling the details,” he added (Carol Giacomo, Reuters/Washington Post, April 27). Back to top       Vanunu Faces More Prison Time An Israeli court today found nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu guilty of speaking with foreigners, a conviction that could lead to a six-month prison sentence, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, April 21, 2006). Vanunu previously served 18 years in prison for releasing details of Israeli nuclear activities to a British newspaper.  He was released in 2004 on the condition that he remain in the country and not speak with foreigners, AP reported. Today’s court decision showed “that Israel is not a democracy,” Vanunu said.  His attorney said a sentencing hearing would probably be held in two months. “I want to leave this country,” Vanunu said.  “I want to be free” (Associated Press/Washington Post, April 30). Back to top

Ricin, Bombs Earn Tennessee Man 7 Years in Prison A Tennessee man received a prison sentence of seven years and three months Friday for possessing the biological toxin ricin, pipe bombs and unregistered gun silencers, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Feb. 6). William Matthews, 56, pleaded guilty in February to possessing the weapons. Under a federal plea deal, Matthews is due to be placed under supervised release for five years after leaving prison.  He might also be required to undergo random searches of his person, his residence and his belongings, according to U.S. District Judge William Haynes. “The court believes the last condition, which I rarely, rarely impose, is necessary to the safety of the public,” Haynes said.  “My concern is the combination of the (defendant’s) mental health and lethal quality of this substance.” Such a court order would violate the constitutional protection against unlawful search and seizure, argued defense attorney Sumter Camp. There has been no public explanation for Matthews’ possession of ricin, AP reported.  Matthews in late 2006 underwent a psychiatric evaluation, the results of which were not made public.  He received treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the 1960s, Matthews said during his plea hearing.  He also said he had used antidepressants and painkillers prior to being jailed (Beth Rucker, Associated Press/The Tennessean, April 27). Back to top       Irish Ricin Case Linked to Assassination Attempt Traces of the biological toxin ricin found in an Irish prison have been linked to a woman’s attempt to have her husband killed, the Irish Independent reported yesterday (see GSN, April 27). A tip from the FBI led to the discovery of small amounts of the substance last week in a cell at the Limerick Prison.  It subsequently tested positive as the poison derived from castor beans, and further testing is planned. The suspect, a Middle Eastern man, had apparently brought the substance from the United States to Ireland in a contact lens case last year.  He apparently produced the toxin himself. The man was arrested in September after breaking into a house, where he reportedly planned to poison the victim’s juice or milk.  This apparently had not occurred at the time of the suspect’s arrest at a hotel. The man apparently dumped most of the ricin before entering the prison, where his contact lens case was included among his personal possessions. Law enforcement agents from Ireland and the United States are seeking the U.S. woman believed to have ordered the killing, the Independent reported (Jim Cusack, Irish Independent, April 29). Back to top       Prominent BW Defense Scientist Complains of Poor Funding, Shifts to Natural Disease Research A high-profile biological weapons defense researcher said Friday he has shifted the bulk of his time to studying cancer and heart disease because of poor funding for biodefense research, the Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger reported (see GSN, July 13, 2005). Ken Alibek, a former leading Soviet biological weapons scientist who came to the United States in 1992, said he has been unable to raise the “tens of millions” of dollars he needs to pursue defensive research. “The biggest part of my life now is devoted to cancer and cardiovascular (research),” he told a security seminar at Princeton University.  “If you work in the biodefense community, good luck to you.  I hope you succeed.” Alibek said the odds of another biological attack in the United States, such as the 2001 anthrax mail attacks, are high and that anthrax would probably be the agent involved. He also warned of smallpox, which he said could be possessed by a number of countries (see GSN, April 17; Kevin Coughlin, The Star-Ledger, April 28). Back to top

Newport VX Disposal Reaches Halfway Point More than half of the VX nerve agent stored at the Newport Chemical Depot in Indiana has been eliminated, the U.S. Army said Friday (see GSN, Nov. 2, 2006). The Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility hit the halfway point of its work on Thursday. “We continue to make our community and environment safer every day we maintain destruction operations,” said Newport depot commander Lt. Col. Brian Lynch in a press release.  “We look forward to the day that the entire Newport VX stockpile is eliminated.” Wastewater produced by chemical neutralization of VX must be treated before the material can be counted toward the U.S. disposal total under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Army said.  Hydrolysate waste is now being shipped to Port Arthur, Texas, for incineration (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency release, April 27). The Sierra Club and other environmental groups on Friday pronounced their intention to sue to halt the shipments, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, April 27). Wastewater being transported to Veolia Environmental Services contains higher levels of VX molecules than acknowledged by the Army, according to the Chemical Weapons Working Group.  Craig Williams, who leads the organization, said he has heard this from several sources. “We can’t sit by with a number of folks coming to us saying this material is dangerous to ship,” he said. Communities along the nearly 1,000-mile route from Indiana to Texas also did not receive proper notice of the shipments, the groups said in their notice of intent to sue. “It’s another sad chapter of Army mismanagement of chemical weapons disposal,” said Sierra Club senior policy adviser Ross Vincent.  “If the Army gets away with this in Indiana, they’re very likely to try to replicate it” (see GSN, Dec. 13, 2006). The lawsuit is expected to be filed today in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal and state agencies have all signed off on the safety of waste transport and disposal, said U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency spokesman Mickey Morales. “We are committed to the safety of the public, the work force and protection of the environment,” he said (Emily Udell, Associated Press/Houston Chronicle, April 27). Back to top       Vials Confirmed as Chemical Test Kit Components U.S. Army officials confirmed Saturday that glass vials found at a wildlife refuge in Oklahoma came from test kits once used to prepare soldiers for chemical attacks, The Oklahoman reported (see GSN, April 27). The military produced more than 200,000 of the kits from the 1930s to the 1960s. “They were used to train soldiers to identify chemical agents and attacks,” said 1st Sgt. Scott Boatman. Substances used in the kits are “irritants, but they’re not lethal,” said 1st Sgt. Michael Moon.  “The chemical agents like mustard gas are diluted with chloroform.” Vials found at the Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge are to be incinerated, Moon said.  The Army’s 22nd Chemical Battalion is cleaning the site where the vials were found. The military used the kits until the late 1960s, Moon said.  Vials have since turned up in a number of locations, including Alabama, Alaska, Guam, North Carolina and South Dakota. There is no explanation yet for how the vials came to rest at the refuge (Chad Love, The Oklahoman, April 29). Back to top

North Korea Rolls Out New Ballistic Missile North Korea in a military parade last week featured a ballistic missile with a range of 1,500 to 2,500 miles, making it capable of hitting the U.S. territory of Guam, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Jan. 30). Three new missile models were among the 52 missiles displayed at the event Wednesday, the South Korean Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported. “All three missiles are ground-to-ground missiles,” a South Korean government official told the newspaper.  “Of them, the medium-range ballistic missile is noteworthy” as “it has Guam in its range.” North Korea conducted test firings of seven missiles in July 2006 (see GSN, July 5, 2006).  The nation is not yet believed able to fit a nuclear warhead on to a missile, but might be intent on producing a new missile not connected to its Nodong or Taepodong types, one expert said. “Personally, I was thinking it was about time for the North to show it off,” said missile expert Kim Tae-woo, of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. “By disclosing its newest missiles in large numbers this time, North Korea showed off that its strategic weapons are centered on nuclear weapons and their means of delivery,” a military official said, according to Chosun Ilbo (Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, April 29). Back to top

Poland Wants Patriot Missiles Poland plans to request U.S. Patriot air defense missiles in exchange for housing 10 interceptors as part of the Bush administration’s missile defense initiative, the Financial Times reported yesterday (see GSN, April 20). The Patriot missiles would be used to defend against short- and medium-range missiles.  Their deployment in Poland would almost certainly anger neighboring Russia, which has made known its displeasure with Washington’s missile defense plans for Europe (see GSN, April 26). To accept the missile interceptors, Warsaw in return wants “specific provisions” to enhance security in Poland, said Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga.  This would come in areas including “clear assessment of threats, the kind of installations (involved), the agreement over bases and installations itself and other issues referring to cooperation — defense and military cooperation,” she said. Washington appeared cool to the Patriot request, the Times reported. “Poland believes there could be additional threats to Polish security, so instead of jumping and talking about Patriots or other advanced systems, let’s have a rational and serious discussion about what those threats might be,” said Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried.  “You can’t jump from:  ‘Gee, we think we have a problem’ to:  ‘Patriot missiles are the answer.’  The Poles need to get their thinking together and then we will deal with this a step at a time.” There also appears to be interest in Warsaw for a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, which would take down incoming missiles at higher altitudes than Patriots (Dombey/Cienski, Financial Times, April 29). Back to top

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