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.

[Michael81Dus]

M.,

I am in no way defending Hitler or the Nazis. But I doubt that they were ever capable of being a threat to the US.

Sure the Nazis were a threat to every human being, but not to every human this danger got concrete.

Respectfully,

M.

[NeoCaveman]

They are free to oppose his policy. But they are not free to hate him.

Oh let them hate, it's amusing.

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!

Thanks for the reasonableness (if that is a word) lol.

I know the majority in many western European countries liked Clinton after all he benefited the Eurozone by

1. His strong dollar policy, which benefited European expoters at the expense of American companies.
2. Committed our troops to Kosovo, at the urging of the Euros, desite it antagonizing the Russians and benefitting jihadis like the KLA.
3. And he's a lefty, although probably rightwing by Euro standards.

Like I said last time, those days are over. I can understand and yet care not at all about the bitterness.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

I won't judge Germany's role in this latest debacle until I hear more about the facts. However, I am still curious about Germany and France's relationship with Sadam pre-war. The oil for food program violations have been brought up and I am wondering who helped keep Sadam going when the rest of his country was doing without.

[Michael81Dus]

I wrote in another message on this thread that Hitler declared war on the US, but did he pose a concrete threat to the US cities? A useless discussion.

Why could anybody here think that Germany isn´t actively fighting terrorism? Just because we didn´t engage in the Iraq war? He//, we have troops in Afghanistan, at the Somali coast line, we´re prosecuting people having helped 9-11 terrorists, we have outlawed several aggressive Islamic organisations, we have tightened anti-terror-laws, we´re guarding all US facilities in Germany by our military - so how could anyone say that our government isn´t taking this threat for real?

[sheik yerbouty]

They need their memories refreshed.

[Michael81Dus]

I think the war against Serbia was a necessity - and indeed it was a precedent in ignoring the UN Charter - justified by our moral standards we even want to see acknowledged in the justification for the Iraq war, now that no WMD have been found yet. The left-right-scheme doesn´t really fit in the European-American-comparison, I assume. It doesn´t fit in the inner-European comparisons either. Each society has its own political landscape. American foreign policy has always been following ideals, even under Clinton. This is a stable factor in US foreign policy.

[Prodigal Son]

Sure the Nazis were a threat to every human being

Well, end of story then. Hitler was an insane megalomaniac. If you don't think he would eventually have attacked us personally, I suggest you ought to sit down and think again. He attacked our allies. That alone made him a direct threat to us. His alliance attacked us. That is also a direct threat and I don't see how one can construe it differently.

I'm not going to debate this. It is beyond debate.

[NeoCaveman]

Avoid the UN as precedent? I like it. Good point.

Well we finally found Slobodan Milosovic's mass graves (justification for the Serb war), they were in Iraq. LOL.

[Michael81Dus]

You say that there were no mass graves in Kosovo? Ok, it depends what you call a mass grave. But surely people were slaughtered because of their belief (Christians and Moslems). Separating them was the right decision.

All the best for 2004!

Michael

[winker]

Gadhafi stays on a short leash(not to be trusted under any circumstances) Germans go to the wall with no blindfold! Scrap and bury the ship in davey jones locker!

[anymouse]

Schroeder is deeply saddened.

[ChuckHam]

I think the war against Serbia was a necessity....

Tell me, Mike. Since you believed the lies of genocide the left championed in Serbia and you still believe the war in Servia was a necessity (regardless of the fact that it violated the self-defense clause of NATO). I'm sure you believe after undisputable proof of genocide in Iraq that the invasion of Iraq was a necessity.

I lived in Germany in the early 80's for over 3 years (during the time of the wall) and then lived there again for 3 years in the late 90's, both times as a member of the USAF. I found in my over 6 years as an resident of your country that most Germans are socialist to the core. Your people believe that government is the answer to everything. Don't even attempt to preach morals to the US...your country has a lot to prove before anyone can believe there's any such word in your language. Until the majority in your country reject marxism and socialism....we don't have a lot in common.

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

"Why could anybody here think that Germany isn´t actively fighting terrorism? Just because we didn´t engage in the Iraq war? He//, we have troops in Afghanistan, at the Somali coast line, we´re prosecuting people having helped 9-11 terrorists, we have outlawed several aggressive Islamic organisations, we have tightened anti-terror-laws, we´re guarding all US facilities in Germany by our military - so how could anyone say that our government isn´t taking this threat for real?"

You know Mike, I don't know the answers to your questions. Just like your press generates an image of the U.S for domestic consumption I suppose ours does the same and right now Germany's not looking to good(look into Germany's strongarming of Turkey to deny us ports before OIF). The U.S. busts its ass all over the world lending a hand and are consistently stabbed in the back by the same bit players. It starting to grate on us. Don't even get me started with the French.

On a lighter note I want the U.S. and Germany to have a good relationship. You make great cars and good beer. What else is there?

SIC

[Michael81Dus]

What else is there?

Come here and find out! ;-)

But then again, the Euro is too high right now...

From what I hear, those who have contacts to the other side of the Atlantic, our relations are excellent (that applies to Americans AND Germans).

[iopscusa]

What about the big-ass hassle the Euros (Germans, etal)displayed when the US/Reagan era proposed the basing of medium range missiles in Europe to deter the Soviets? I believe this was quite instrumental in bringing down your Berlin wall and freeing a lot of Eastern compatriots....I also noticed your US-German comparison page, I think you forgot 1 major difference between us, we believe all our rights descend from a greater power than other men!!! Most of our freedoms are based on this concept in the USA and it's likely your Euro mind will never understand what that means.

[Michael81Dus]

You´re right, I believe that the Iraq war was a necessity.
Fortunately, you are wrong regarding marxism - and I know a lot of (American) people disagreeing with you on that, some of them are FReepers. Thanks for having contributed to our security, and that´s actually all I can say to you right now. Though I hope that you don´t think that your years here were lost or in vain.

FRegards,

Michael

[GretchenEE]

Libya is seeking to fool the world when they say they are ready to / going to dump their nuclear preparations in return for a lifting of US economic sanctions against them. I believe their treachery will be revealed, and before it is too late.

[Michael81Dus]

The German government supported the deployment of the Pershing II missiles on our soil, and sure, it was one big step towards reunification. The protests of our lovely pacifists were just as wrong as the protests against a recent war in a country at the Persian Gulf... some people never understand, ya know?

The comparison site is not written by me. I just found it and thought it could be of interest, that´s why I´ve put a link on my FR page.

I do believe that rights are given by nature, that they can´t be taken away by men. What we believe in is what matters, and not from where we formed our belief.

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

"Come here and find out! ;-)"

I plan to. I am planning to make the trip to Torino, Italy for the 2006 Winter Olympics with a stopover in Germany.

Take care and I hope to see you again in the forum.

SIC

[NeoCaveman]

All the best for 2004!

Thanks. All the best to you and yours.