SEPTEMBER 2, 2004 Thursday : (WMD : SOUTH AFRICA : TRADE FIN ENGINEERING : JOHAN MEYER IS ARRESTED, EQUIPMENT INCLUDING CENTRIFUGES IS SEIZED-— See A Q KHAN NETWORK, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION) The role of several South African citizens and their businesses in a nuclear black market is being investigated by an international nuclear watchdog. The high-level investigation by the ...(IAEA), as well as the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), comes as scientists and engineers from Pelindaba examine more than 11 truck loads of equipment, allegedly used in the production of nuclear materials.
The items seized from Pretoria engineer Johan Meyer (53) include centrifuges which are used for the enrichment of uranium. Enriched uranium can be used in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons.
The equipment, which was allegedly to be sold to Pakistan, was taken to Pelindaba at the weekend to be tested to see if uranium had passed through the centrifuges.
Meyer, who is to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, was arrested last Thursday [Sept 2, 04] at his factory Trade Fin Engineering. He is alleged to have contravened the South African Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Treaty and the South African Nuclear Energy Act.
The IAEA believes that Meyer is part of an international nuclear smuggling syndicate.
The IAEA, NIA, SAPS, and NPA have been investigating Trade Fin Engineering for more than a year.
The Pretoria News has learnt that apart from [Johan] Meyer’s company being under investigation, several other Gauteng businessmen and Centurion-based companies - which the investigators have not identified - are being probed for their alleged role in the nuclear black market network. -——— “SA link to nuke black market,” By Graeme Hosken, PRETORIA NEWS, Tues September 7, 2004,
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:5PvUBJJjGjgJ:www.pretorianews.co.za/index.php%3FfSectionId%3D270%26fArticleId%3D2215099+%22gerhard+wisser%22+&hl=en
OCTOBER 2004 early : (GERMANY : SWISS ENGINEER URS TINNER IS ARRESTED IN GERMANY- SEE LIBYAN NUKE PROGRAM, QADEER KHAN NETWORK, MALAYSIA) Swiss engineer Urs Tinner ... was arrested in Germany... .. He is believed to have been part of the international clandestine network of Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, which helped Libya’s nuclear program, German authorities said. He is believed to have been part of the international clandestine network of Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, which helped Libya’s nuclear program, German authorities said. German prosecutors said they were preparing treason charges against the engineer.
[Swiss engineer Urs] Tinner is alleged to have overseen machine work in Malaysia on gas centrifuge parts that were intercepted by Western intelligence last October on a ship bound for Libya. He’s also alleged to have trained Libyans in their use. Gas centrifuges are needed to enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons. If the Swiss suspects are tried and convicted of violating sanctions and illegally exporting war material they could face as much as 10 years in prison and a $4 million fine.-——— “Switzerland Opens Nuclear Investigation,” by BALZ BRUPPACHER, AP, 10/13/04