Posted on 09/03/2004 10:07:10 AM PDT by knighthawk
A South African businessman has been charged with trafficking nuclear material that was reportedly destined for Asian countries, notably Pakistan.
Johan Meyer, 53, appeared in court a day after his arrest on charges of being in possession of nuclear-related material and of illegally importing and exporting nuclear material.
"He was arrested on charges that he was building a nuclear weapon," Meyer's lawyer Heinrich Badenhorst said.
Press reports said that Meyer was a member of an international ring involved in the smuggling of nuclear components to Asian countries, Pakistan in particular.
According to the charge sheet, Meyer is accused of acquiring material between November 2000 and November 2001 that "could have contributed to the design, development, manufacturing, deployment, maintenance and use of weapons of mass destruction."
It also states that Meyer had acquired equipment, material and plans for the design and use of gas centrifuges, used to enrich uranium - the key ingredient in nuclear bomb making.
During the arrest, investigators seized "items alleged to have been used" in the nuclear smuggling ring, a Foreign Ministry statement said.
Meyer, who owns an engineering plant in the town of Vanderbijlpark, located some 80 kilometres south of Johannesburg, was remanded in police custody pending a bail hearing on September 8.
Ping
And the nuclear material is.... where?
Stationary, office furniture, computers, cell phones, cars, buildings, screwdrivers, . . .
Now state property.
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