This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.
Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation.
12 January 2000
Libya denies attempting to import banned long-range missile parts through Britain.
— "Libya Missile Denial," Herald Sun, 12 January 2000.
2 March 2000
US National Security Agency Director Lt. General Michael Hayden outlines the proliferation of Chinese missile technology to Libya in a classified report sent to senior US government officials, and says the latest transfer occurred the previous month. China also announces that it has concluded a $477 million deal with the Libyan government to build a railroad system, but some US intelligence officials fear the rail agreement will provide cover for secret missile cooperation.
— Bill Gertz, "Beijing Delivered Missile Technology to Libya, US Says," Washington Times, 13 April 2000; "China Set to Build Railway in Libya under 477-Million-Dollar Deal," Agence France Presse, 4 March 2000.
12 April 2000
A 44-year old Taiwanese businessman, with three cast-iron parts for Scud missiles in his bags, is arrested at Zurich's airport in Switzerland and charged with trying to smuggle the parts into Libya. Libya is thought to be trying to obtain North Korean long-range missiles, and Chinese help to Libya may include training for military personnel to operate imported North Korean missiles or the indigenous al-Fatah.
— Bill Gertz, "Beijing Delivered Missile Technology to Libya, US Says," Washington Times, 13 April 2000; Ian Brodie, "China 'Is Helping Libya on Missiles'," The Times (London), 14 April 2000; Joby Warrick, "On North Korean Freighter, a Hidden Missile Factory," Washington Post, 14 August 2003.
14 April 2000
China has been training Libyan technicians at a wind tunnel facility in China. China agreed in December 1999 to transfer a wind tunnel facility to Libya, which US intelligence officials believe could be used in Libya's missile development program for modeling and simulation.
— Walter Pincus, "China Training Libyans, Official Says," Washington Post, 14 April 2000.
29 May 2000
Austrian far-right leader Jörg Haider denies charges that he had helped Mu'ammar Qadhdhafi set up a missile defense system.
— Michael Leidig, "Haider Linked to Libyan Leader: Former Austrian Far-Right Leader Had 'Private Visit' with Gadhafi," Ottawa Citizen, 29 May 2000.
30 May 2000
Libya and Egypt are reportedly buying the Scud-D from North Korea, which has a range of 400 miles.
— Richard Beeston, "Syria's 400-mile Missile Alarms Israel," The Times (London), 30 May 2000.
June 2000
US experts say that despite repeated appeals, North Korea has continued to sell intermediate and long-range missiles such as the Nodong and Taepodong-1 to Libya, Iran, and Syria. Sources say that commercial contacts are mostly used to hide the weapons transactions.
— "Iraq, N. Korea Believed Cooperating on Missiles, WMD," Middle East Newsline, vol. 2, no. 218, 8 June 2000, <http://www.menewsline.com/>.
2 August 2000
Russia and Libya agree to revive defense ties that were suspended during the years of internationally imposed sanctions on Libya. "Defense commentators" say the new relationship could potentially bring Libya multiple-rocket launchers and Iskander tactical missiles.
— Vladimir Radyuhin, "Russia to Resume Arms Sales to Libya," Hindu, 2 August 2000.
9 August 2000
A CIA report to Congress alleges that Russian entities continued to supply ballistic missile-related goods, technology, and expertise to Libya, India, and Iran.
— "Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions, Through December 31, 1999," US Central Intelligence Agency, 9 August 2000; in "CIA WMD Report," Disarmament Diplomacy, No. 49; in The Acronym Institute Web Site, <http://www.acronym.org.uk/49wmd.htm>.
25 September 2000
The Sunday Telegraph of London reveals that Libya acquired the first of four consignments of North Korea's surface-to-surface Nodong missiles and launchers in July. The missiles have a range of 1,500 kilometers, and a further three shipments, totaling 50 missiles and launchers, is to be delivered over the next three years. The first shipment consists of missiles that are capable of carrying conventional, nuclear and chemical warheads and is estimated to have cost approximately $500 million. Nine North Korean missile engineers and technicians were also on board, and are to spend two years in Libya to make the missiles operational. North Korea has also agreed to build the infrastructure necessary for maintaining and storing the missiles in Libya, and to train Libyans in all aspects of missile technology over a period of five years. The missile shipment was originally thought to have been destined for Pakistan, but a detailed investigation showed that the cargo was headed to Libya via Malta. While Libya has been attempting to develop its own long-range missile, al-Fatah, it has also been engaged in extending the range of the Russian-designed Scud missile through a project called al-Jadid.
— Douglas Davis, "Report: Libyan Missiles Can Hit Israel," Jerusalem Post, 25 September 2000; Lynne O'Donnell, "Albright Opens Door on Timewarp," Australian, 24 October 2000.
6 April 2001
Lee Jae Uk, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Defense Analysis, releases a report that says North Korea exported up to 540 ballistic missiles to the Middle East between 1985 and 2000. The number includes 490 Scud-B and Scud-C missiles and 50 Nodong missiles that were sold to Libya last year. According to Lee's report, the Scud-B and Scud-C missiles sold for between $2 million and $2.5 million, and the Nodong has been sold for around $7 million.
— Kim Min Sžk, "North Sold 540 Missiles in Mideast," Joongang Ilbo, 7 April 2001, <http://english.joins.com>; David C. Isby, "North Korea Remains Committed to Missile Proliferation," Jane's Missiles and Rockets, 1 June 2001.
12 April 2001
Chugan Chosun reports that there are nine North Korean technicians in Libya assisting with its missile development program.
— Choe Hong Sžp, "'[Israel] Pukhan-Chungdong Missile Connection Magara'," Chugan Chosun, 12 April 2001, <http://www.weekly.chosun.com>.
9 September 2001
The Central Intelligence Agency, in its semi-annual report to Congress, confirms that China has supplied missile and related technology to Libya, Pakistan, and North Korea.
— "China Supplied Missile Technology to Pakistan: CIA," Hindu, 9 September 2001.
13 February 2002
US Congressional and Israeli intelligence sources say Libya's development of a medium-range ballistic based on the Scud design has received assistance from China, India, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Serbia.
— Steve Rodan, "Libya Steps Up Pursuit of MRBM Capability," Jane's Defense Weekly, 13 February 2002.
June 2002
Iran and Libya sign a deal for Tehran to transfer Shehab-3 missile technology. The deal is reportedly for five years, and Libya will pay Iran $13.5 million per year. North Korea will also participate in the project according to Middle East Newsline.
— "Iran Begins Export of Shihab-3 Technology," Middle East Newsline, vol. 4, no. 351, 18 September 2002, <http://www.menewsline.com>.
6 September 2002
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says Libya is developing long-range missiles and nuclear weapons with help from Iraq and North Korea and, though unverified, may be receiving financial assistance from Saudi Arabia.
— Ross Dunn, "Libya Leads Arab Race for Nuclear Bomb: Sharon," Sydney Morning Herald, 6 September 2002.
13 September 2002
The Bush administration imposes penalties on three Russian military contractors that may have sold missiles to Libya, Sudan, and Syria. The companies, all government owned, are the Tula Design Bureau of Instrument Building, an antiaircraft and antitank systems producer; the State Scientific Production Enterprise Bazalt, a maker of bombs, grenades and other munitions; and Rostov Airframe Plant 168.
— James Dao, "US Cites Russian Firms in Arms Sales to Lands Tied to Terror," New York Times, 13 September 2002.
31 October 2002
The US says, in a confidential complaint sent to senior Yugoslav officials this year, that it has evidence that three Serbian firms have helped Libya develop a 900km-range cruise missile able to carry a 1,100-lbs. payload.
— Daniel Simpson, "Belgrade Accused of Involvement in Arms Sales to Baghdad," New York Times, 31 October 2002; "Yugoslavia: Firms Helped Libya Acquire Cruise Missiles, US Says," Global Security Newswire, Nuclear Threat Initiative, 31 October 2002.
2 November 2002
A senior University of Belgrade professor tells Belgrade-based newspaper Blic that the university's aerodynamics department, which has 30 Libyan scientists as students, was working on the development of a 900-mile-range cruise missile.
— Richard Beeston and Zoran Kusovac, "Belgrade Told to Stop Arms Sales to Saddam," The Times (London), 2 November 2002.
9 December 2002
A Spanish frigate intercepts North Korean ship So San, carrying 15 Scud missiles and two dozen tanks containing a rocket-fuel additive from North Korea to Yemen that were thought, by one intelligence official, to possibly be destined for Libya, Syria, or Iran. The United States releases the ship two days later.
— James Harding, Mark Huband, and Peter Spiegel, "US Releases Missiles Ship for Yemen," Financial Times, 12 December 2002; Joby Warrick, "On North Korean Freighter, a Hidden Missile Factory," Washington Post, 14 August 2003.
11 February 2003
CIA Director George Tenet warns that, over the past 12 months, Libya is one of a handful of countries that has moved to obtain equipment to produce weapons-grade nuclear materials and the ability to deliver them as nuclear bombs. Tenet makes special mention of Libya's increased access to dual-use technologies.
— Walter Pincus, "CIA Head Predicts Nuclear Race; Small Nations Pursuing Arms," Washington Post, 12 February 2003.
14 February 2003
An unnamed senior Libyan source confirms that Libya is seeking to extend the range of its ballistic missiles, Scuds currently with a range of 350km (220 miles), to 500km.
— Edward Pilkington and Ewen MacAskill, "Threat of War: Libya Working to Extend the Range of its Missiles," Guardian (London), 14 February 2003.
6 June 2003
In its most recent report on proliferation, the CIA includes Libya among a handful of nations that have the most active weapons of mass destruction and missile programs.
— Agence France Presse, "US Official Warns Rogue States," Advertiser, 6 June 2003.
9 December 2003
The Spanish daily El Mundo reports that a North Korean cargo ship intercepted by the Spanish military in December 2002 carrying 15 complete Scud missiles, a set of conventional warheads, and 85 chemical products (some 20 holding nitric acid) arrived in Libya. It is reported that the United States ignored the incident because it was in negotiations with several Middle Eastern countries, including Libya, to grant asylum to then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The ship, named So San, flew the Cambodian flag and claimed to be sailing for Yemen, which had legally purchased the weapons. The ship was released, sailed on to Yemen, and eventually the cargo found its way to Libya. An anonymous NATO official is the source of the reports.
