Skip to comments.
Pakistani nuclear scientist arrested
Guardian/UK ^
| 10/24/01
| Staff and agencies
Posted on 10/24/2001 5:55:34 PM PDT by kattracks
The former head of Pakistan's nuclear research programme, who is also an outspoken supporter of Islamic radicals, has been arrested in Pakistan and placed in "protective custody", the government said today. Sultan Bashiru-Din Mehmood was arrested yesterday by Pakistani intelligence officials in the eastern city of Lahore.
"We don't know on what charges," his son Asim Mehmood said.
Relatives said that he had been working recently on projects in Afghanistan, including land development, educational reform and food programmes.
The authorities would not say why Mr Mehmood, who was project director of Pakistan's nuclear program prior to his retirement last year, was arrested.
He was a known supporter of Afghanistan's Taliban regime and had links to other hardline Islamic groups in Pakistan.
Mehmood addressed a gathering of intellectuals last week, calling for a halt to the US bombing and negotiations with the Taliban.
He was detained with another scientist from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Abdul Majid.
Pakistan is, like its neighbour and arch rival India, a nuclear power armed with atomic weapons.
Islamic militants have held mass demonstrations in Pakistan since October 7, in protest at the US bombardment of Afghanistan and the Pakistani government's decision to provide logistical support to US forces, open its air space to the bombers and share intelligence information.
TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-47 next last
1
posted on
10/24/2001 5:55:34 PM PDT
by
kattracks
To: kattracks
The former head of Pakistan's nuclear research programme, who is also an outspoken supporter of Islamic radicalsThis sure gives me a warm and fuzzy! Sure hope ours work!
To: kattracks
Hope they got him in time! Criminy!
3
posted on
10/24/2001 5:59:34 PM PDT
by
Bigg Red
To: kattracks
The authorities would not say why Mr Mehmood, who was project director of Pakistan's nuclear program prior to his retirement last year, was arrested. Well, good. I hope they never say and that he never sees the light of day again.
Pakistan is sending a signal. Let's hope it's heeded.
4
posted on
10/24/2001 6:00:12 PM PDT
by
Dog Gone
To: Victoria Delsoul
Nuclear Paki-bump
Comment #6 Removed by Moderator
To: kattracks
Save his brain in a jar for research
To: kattracks
Relatives said that he had been working recently on projects in Afghanistan, including land development, educational reform and food programmes. WHAT? No baby formula project? This is an outrage.
MM
To: MississippiMan
No, he was working in an Aspirin Factory!
9
posted on
10/24/2001 6:13:09 PM PDT
by
PokeyJoe
To: kattracks
Herein lies the nut of our problem with militant Islamic states if this problem is to be resolved for more than a handful of years. We must identify and neutralize the scientists who have a sophisticated knowledge of either nuclear, chemical or bio weapons design and manufacturing processes.
We probably have a pretty fair list of the individuals in Iraq because of almost 3 years of weapons monitoring but to indentify these individuals in Pakistan or Iran without the cooperation of their respective governments may be difficult.
To: kattracks
The
former head of Pakistan's nuclear research programme, who is also an outspoken supporter of Islamic radicals, has been arrested in Pakistan and placed in
"protective custody", the government said today.
He was detained with another scientist from the Pakistan
Atomic Energy CommissionSounds like they need them for insurance purposes. It depends on what the definition of the word "arrest" is.
It sounds more like "we're keeping them handy, just in case."
To: PokeyJoe
You gotta love the intellect: a top nuclear scientist, and the best they could come up with were tired cliches about land and food and just all-around humanitarian work he was doing over there, darn it. LOL.
MM
To: kattracks
Relatives said that he had been working recently on projects in Afghanistan, including land development, educational reform and food programmes. Riiiight.
13
posted on
10/24/2001 6:26:59 PM PDT
by
bond7
To: kattracks
Relatives said that he had been working recently on projects in Afghanistan, including land development, educational reform and food programmes....
He was a bigtime nuclear scientist... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he was probably doing there
14
posted on
10/24/2001 6:30:02 PM PDT
by
xm177e2
To: kattracks
had links to other hardline Islamic groups in Pakistan. Well...isn't that just DUCKY!
To: kattracks
So Pakistan's head nuclear researcher is a radical raghead kook. Gee, I wonder if those terrorists could ever get a nuke. I just wonder.
To: kattracks
Holy shiite, Batman!
17
posted on
10/24/2001 6:33:56 PM PDT
by
6ppc
To: kattracks
Now we're closing in on worst case scenarios. IMO it is likely that Iraq got access to Pakistani nuclear weapons data and designs courtesy of this guy.
At which point the only question is how much weapons-grade fissionable material Iraq has. xSoviet stuff doesn't count due to its higher manufacturing impurities causing it to decay into ineffective fizzles at this point. I read someplace that Iraq had almost enough to make a bomb when the Gulf War started.
Our port security and conquering what's left of Iraq just shot to #1 on my priority list. Ahead of finishing off Osama bin Laden.
18
posted on
10/24/2001 6:37:58 PM PDT
by
Thud
To: San Jacinto
Gee, I wonder if those terrorists could ever get a nuke. Well, this guy did build a nuke for Pakistan. If the core material is available...
19
posted on
10/24/2001 6:38:37 PM PDT
by
6ppc
To: San Jacinto
I thought ignorance and poverty are what drove Islamic hatred of the west. At least that's what the "mainstream moderate" muslims are telling us. This guy is probably a Berkeley grad.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-47 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson