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KARACHI, Pakistan — The scientist behind a worldwide black market in nuclear technology is involved in high-stakes brinksmanship over his future, refusing to hand over reportedly incriminating documents demanded by Pakistani authorities.

The documents and a tape-recorded statement, which are said to demonstrate that senior Pakistani army officials — including President Pervez Musharraf — were aware of Abdul Qadeer Khan's nuclear proliferation activities, are believed to have been smuggled out of the country for safekeeping by the scientist's daughter Dina.

Ping....

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FYI.

[Khan Noonian Singh]

Okay, this is the first explanation we have seen for the kid-glove handling of AQ Khan: that he is blackmailing Musharraf and others with proof that they were connected to the AQ Khan proliferation network.

So why is this tale being spun? Nobody is revealing the whole truth. It is a limited hangout, required because the winking at AQ Khan will otherwise engender embarrassing questions.

What everyone wants to know, but no one is asking out loud, is whether AQ Khan has a nuclear weapon stashed away somewhere as his personal deterrent.