Loose network of seven plotters
BY LOURDES CHARLESKUALA LUMPUR: The loose black marketeering network that planned to supply Libya with components for nuclear weapons consisted of two Swiss, two Turks, two Germans and a Briton.
Police investigations made public yesterday revealed that the network had supplied or tried to buy various components for a nuclear centrifuge for Libya’s uranium enrichment programme.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Omar said the detailed probe showed that Malaysian company, SCOMI Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd (SCOPE), was only one of many firms which were duped into making parts of the various components.
He pointed out that even after awarding a contract to SCOPE, Sri Lankan businessman B.S.A. Tahir engaged a Swiss consultant to oversee the tooling of the component at the firm’s plant in Shah Alam.
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Tahir: Middleman involved in the trafficking |
Mohd Bakri said Tinner was always cautious when working at the plant and took away the drawings of the component design when the contract was completed.
Just before he left the country in October, the Swiss engineer also erased all technical information which were kept in the computer that was set aside for his use by SCOPE at the Shah Alam factory.
He even removed the hard disk of the computer so that there was no trace of the technical specifications of the work done.
Tinner told the staff this was to protect trade secrets.
Mohd Bakri said that as a consultant, Tinner was responsible for the purchasing and setting up of the machines and one of the machines purchased and installed by him was the same one recommended by Griffin – a Cincinnati Hawk 150 Machining Centre.
Mohd Bakri said that 39-year-old Tinner resigned from SCOPE at about the same time a ship named BBC China was searched in Port Taranto, Italy, where five Libya-bound containers were confiscated as they allegedly contained components for certain parts of a centrifuge unit.
“Tahir and Tinner did not declare the use of the components or the true nature of the business. Moreover the components which were confiscated cannot be used as one complete unit of a centrifuge,” he said, adding that SCOPE was misled into manufacturing the components after being told that the components were for the petroleum and gas industry.
Tinner’s father Friedrich was also named in the report as being responsible for preparing certain centrifuge components and sourced many of the materials which were made by several companies in Europe. He is also alleged to have arranged for the materials to go to Libya via Dubai.
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Tinner: Designed the tooling process of components |
It is learnt that Special Branch officers investigating the case were handed a document by SCOMI in the form of a brief note allegedly signed by Griffin himself dated March 10, 2001 recommending the purchase of that machine.
He said Griffin was hired by Tahir to carry out a feasibility study including recommending, among others, the type of machinery needed for the tooling job.
“However, after presenting his findings including the type of machinery needed, Tahir decided not to hire Griffin as he was said to be unsuitable for the job.
“Instead Tahir had in April 2002 hired the younger Tinner as consultant,” the IGP said.
Mohd Bakri said Tahir revealed under questioning that it was the top Pakistani nuclear expert who developed the network of middlemen that not only involved Tahir but also several people and companies from Europe.
However, the IGP said it was a loose network, without a rigid hierarchy, or a head..
According to Tahir, some of the middlemen appeared to have known the nuclear expert for a long while and some of them got to know him when he was in the Netherlands.
The two Turks named in the report were Gunas Jireh and Selim Alguadis.
Jireh is alleged to have supplied aluminium casting and a dynamo to Libya while Alguadis, an engineer, is supposed to have supplied electrical cabinets and a power supplier-voltage regulator to Libya.
Another middleman, Heinz Mebus, a German engineer, is alleged to have been involved in discussions between the nuclear arms expert and Iran to supply centrifuge designs. He has since died.
The seventh man in the network is Gotthard Lerch, another German citizen residing in Switzerland who is alleged to have produced vacuum technology equipment.
Mohd Bakri said police conducted an open and transparent investigation in line with the country’s policy of recognising and adopting a multi-lateral approach in conjunction with the IAEA while rejecting a unilateral approach where investigations are monopolised by only certain countries.
He said police here were willing and ready to co-operate with the IAEA.
Mohd Bakri stressed that although the individuals above were alleged to have been involved, the governments of the countries concerned and some of the companies involved were unaware of the real use of the components.
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