German Ship Seized with Uranium (enrichment)-Making Parts for Libya (for nuclear bomb)

Deutsche Welle ^ | Jan. 1, 2003 | DW staff

[FairOpinion]

Officials have confirmed that a German-flagged ship was carrying parts to build a nuclear bomb from a Persian Gulf country to Libya in October. Investigators seized the shipment before it reached its destination.

Just a few months before Libya declared it would cease its efforts to create weapons of mass destruction, American and British agents seized a German freighter ship loaded with centrifuges and other parts that are used to create enriched uranium, the material needed to build nuclear bombs. The seizure is believed to have influenced Tripoli’s decision to suspend its weapons program last month.

On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Areli confirmed the discovery following a report in the Wall Street Journal, a financial daily, that the German ship had been en route to Libya but was diverted to an Italian port so that U.S. investigators could seize the content. The newspaper cited officials saying the German company which owns the ship, Hamburg-based BBC Chartering and Logistic, had been extremely cooperative with investigators after they were alerted to intelligence that the ship might be carrying the parts.

"A ship was diverted, based on intelligence, that it was carrying centrifuge parts in early October," Areli said, adding that the seizure demonstrated the value of the U.S.’ Proliferation Security Initiative, which aims to prevent the production of weapons of mass destruction. Sixteen countries, including Germany, are participating in the global initiative.

Thousands of components seized

U.S. and British intelligence agents had learned the ship would be leaving a Persian Gulf state with the parts and an ultimate destination of Libya. German authorities were informed and contact was made with the German shipping company. A U.S. Navy ship then escorted the "BBC China" to port. Investigators found several thousand components on the ship that are used to enrich uranium.

Washington officials said Wednesday they believed the discovery might have helped sway Libya towards agreeing to stop its weapons program and open its doors for international inspections. Following months of secret negotiations with Tripoli, the U.S. and Britain announced on Dec. 19 that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi had agreed to a deal on inspections.

After the seizures, an unnamed U.S. government official told the paper, Tripoli "saw how much we knew about what they were doing."

With the investigation continuing, U.S. officials have refused to state who sold the centrifuges or where they originated from.

[the invisib1e hand]

lies from the allied propaganda

You're not helping to establish anyone's faith in Germany with this kind of talk. Is this what they teach you in school there?

That's a rhetorical question. That means that you don't have to answer it.

Best wishes.

[americanbychoice]

Michael, again, please engage brain before mouth (fingers) Hitler officially declared war against the US. It wasn't the media.
On December 11th 1941 Hitler and Mussolini officially declared war on the US

[Prodigal Son]

You're letting national boundaries confuse the issue.

No, actually not. You said Iraq was the biggest threat to the world, not me. Iraq was not and is not the biggest threat in the world.

The thing is, if you want to shift it now and specify the whole region- which is fine- then your argument begins to evaporate because the German military is involved in other fronts on the war on terrorism.

What Michael says is fundamentally correct- Iraq is the only major disagreement we have had with Germany.

[Prodigal Son]

Oh sure I´ve heard of rumors that Hitler wanted to invade the US, but they were lies from the allied propaganda. Hitler never was capable of invading the US, nor had he thought of it.

Come on Michael. Germany was the main player in the Axis. The Axis bombed Pearl Harbor.

[river rat]

Moammar Gadhafi is ALSO cooperating NOW....
Should we regard him as a totally reliable ally?

Many of us believe the Germans picked the wrong dog in this fight...
Germany attempted to remain faithful to their French whore and Saddam, their Sand Nazi, Jew hating/killing dictator in Iraq.

As a result - Germany remains tainted and diseased.

To restore trust - Germany will have to do more than respond to events as they happen.
I believe they will have to rid themselves of the assholes and communists running their country..

Denial is STILL not a river in Egypt...

Semper Fi

[Eva]

Wrong, Germany has a gov't that has openly insulted the US and it's president. Schroeder won election by openly defying the US, so I would assume that the majority of Germans don't like the US, either.

[Michael81Dus]

Since when are dumb speeches active work against the US? And indeed we can discuss wether Schröders anti-war-blah-blah was a centerpiece of his campaign.

German soldiers are guarding US facilities right now in Germany. Germany has sent more troops to Afghanistan. This is active work of a government. And I´d say that this is not against the US government...

We may be socialist right now but not marxist, the individual has his property and will keep it until the state is dismantled.

Now, first of all, if the UN are such a bad enemy to the US (hmm- what´s the UN actually?), why has the US government chosen to remain in this organisation? The same applies to Israel!?

Bush and Schröder aren´t friends, granted, but they´re far from being enemies. Both governments agree that a vital partnership between us is important, and we have it. Germany is a partner of the US, period.

Now bttt: this ship is German-owned, but we don´t know who chartered the ship. Since the shipowners and ships captain fully cooperated, and brought the ship to Italy, I very much doubt that they knew what was loaded.

[putupon]

Officials have confirmed that a German-flagged ship was carrying parts to build a nuclear bomb from a Persian Gulf country to Libya in October.

Too bad, Germany. You were that close to being removed from my boycott list (probationary of course).

[Michael81Dus]

A majority of Germans opposed the Iraq war, and that was the key issue in last elections - unfortunately not the bad economy. Polls show that Germans think positive of the American people, however, Bush is unpopular here - so he is in whole Europe.

[Bernard Marx]

Just the fact that the ship is German doesn´t say that the material for Lybia is German.

Maybe there's another explanation for the sudden -- and unexpected -- decision by Chancellor Schroeder to forgive and reschedule a bunch of Iraq's debt as a result of Jim Baker's visit.

On the other hand we shouldn't be so quick to blame Germany until and unless there is proof that the centrifuges truly did originate in Germany. The fact the source hasn't been clearly identified is very interesting.

[Michael81Dus]

Please go to the website www.bbc-online.de (the shipowners page) and tell me what you see! Or explain to me why the shipowner and ships captain fully cooperated with the german authorities, which called the ship to go to Italy immediately.

[Michael81Dus]

Japan bombed Pearl Harbour! And it did it before the Reich was informed. Then Hitler declared war on the US... but do you think that the Reich was ever a real threat to the States?

[NeoCaveman]

A majority of Germans opposed the Iraq war, and that was the key issue in last elections - unfortunately not the bad economy. Polls show that Germans think positive of the American people, however, Bush is unpopular here - so he is in whole Europe.

Reminds me of a joke back in the mid nineties under Clinton
Why doesn't the U.S. need a foreign policy?
The Europeans already have one.

Those days are over.

[Michael81Dus]

Comrade,

rather yesterday than today I´d love to get rid of Schröder. But still we are allies. Sure, the government and people here chose the wrong side - but they were not pro-Saddam but just against the war. We enjoyed the capture of this evil man as much as you do. We despise dictatorships as much as you do.

And this Lybia ship thing is nothing that implies Germanys involvement. In fact, German authorities called the ship to the nearest allied port (in Italy) and the shipowner fully cooperated. I don´t think that the shipowner or captain knew what was on board.

Stay safe,

Michael

[river rat]

"Let me tell you that Germanys action in WW2 were a threat to Europe - but never to the US."

What the hell have you been smoking or playing with?

You'd better quit before you go blind or grow hair on your palms...

Arrange to see your physician --- IMMEDIATLY!

Semper Fi

[putupon]

Even Ghadafi cooperated after he was caught.

Dang, I don't like this either. I was going to start buying Contiental Tires again.

Just went to the Contiental Tire Bowl last Saturday for the second time, they're a real nice company.

[Michael81Dus]

I didn´t like Bush either in the beginning. He gained a lot of trust the way he handled 9-11. In fact, on that day I gave him a chance for the first time (after being manipulated by the anti-Bush-media here). And he did not wrong. I have nothing against those who oppose him. They are free to oppose his policy. But they are not free to hate him. He legally became President of the United States and we have to accept this sovereign decision of the American people like we want our elections to be respected by others. That´s what I do and want others to do. It´s not my or Europes medias business to tell the American people who to vote for!

[Prodigal Son]

but do you think that the Reich was ever a real threat to the States?

Nazi Germany was a threat to every single human on Earth and that is a fact.

You know, I can understand you want to defend your country against people saying bad things about it. But then you come off with these crazy comments like the Reich wasn't a threat to the US. It's utter nonsense. The Nazis had their own nuclear program. Had they developed a nuclear weapon and put the warhead on a V2 rocket, they could easily have destroyed London.

Any government that could do the things the Nazis did is a threat to all humans everywhere- end of story.

Hitler was a total piece of human trash. Don't try to defend him or his Reich. There's no way to do so. You will lose every single time if you try.

[Michael81Dus]

No. I ´m sure that the shipowner didn´t know what was loaded. WTF would such a world-wide operating company with good references agree to an illegal deal with Lybia?

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

"Oh sure I´ve heard of rumors that Hitler wanted to invade the US, but they were lies from the allied propaganda. Hitler never was capable of invading the US, nor had he thought of it."

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Germany declare war on the U.S. the day after Pearl Harbor?

On another note, I think some on this board are being a little hard on you. Your spirited defense of your country is admirable. I believe there is a general feeling in the U.S. that Germany's heart is just not in the war on terror.

SIC