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CNN Live At Daybreak
Startling Confession From Person Who Founded Pakistan's Nuclear Program
Aired February 02, 2004 - 05:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get more now on that startling confession from the person who founded Pakistan's nuclear program. A Pakistani government official tells CNN the scientist says he sold nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Our Ash-Har Quraishi joins us live on the phone from Lahore, Pakistan this morning with much more -- good morning, Ash-Har.
ASH-HAR QURAISHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, that's right, an official telling us today that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Kahn, the man credited as being the father of Pakistan's nuclear program, did, in fact, say in a statement that he had passed on nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Now, this is an investigation that has been ongoing here in Pakistan for the last two months. Officials say they have been probing whether or not nuclear scientists from within the program, as well as security personnel, knew anything about transfers to third countries.
Now, in the last few weeks, Dr. Kahn has been at the center of attention, although the government has not so far gone so far as to say he was a suspect until now. They have been investigating not only his activities, but also the activities of associates around him.
Now, Dr. Kahn is being held under tight security. He is at his home in Islamabad. Officials tell us that he has got -- he is now not allowed to make any telephone contact with anybody and there is heavy security around his home. Right now, however, it's unclear as to what the fate of Dr. Kahn will be. We understand from officials that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to address the nation after the Eid (ph) holidays, the Muslim holidays that conclude here on Thursday.
Now, President Musharraf is expected to make a formal announcement about Dr. Kahn and then at that point we expect some sort of recourse to be taken. The president may or may not announce formal charges or whether or not Dr. Kahn will be presented in the courts here in Pakistan or whether or not some sort of administrative reprimand will be taking place -- Carol.
COSTELLO: How much information is he giving up, Ash-Har, as far as how much information he provided to countries like North Korea?
QURAISHI: Well, we understand that there was some significant transfer. Now, officials that we've spoken to said that Dr. Kahn did meet with Iranian scientists before 1999 here in Karachi, actually. They haven't given us specific information as to what types of technology has been transferred, although they say that the statement, he does confess, and this is the first time that we're hearing anything from the Pakistani administration regarding North Korea. There had been denials.
Now, Pakistan had admitted last, in December, actually, that they had been approached by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the Iranian government, with information that pointed to specific scientists from within the program that were involved in Iran's nuclear program. But this is the first time that we're hearing from government officials that North Korea is also a place that Pakistan is now seeing transfers of technology to have taken place.
But right now they're not giving us specific details as to this statement. We expect at some point there will be more information, later in the week, when the official announcement comes out -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, we'll get back to you a little later on DAYBREAK.
Ash-Har Quraishi live from Pakistan this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nuclear Program>
Aired February 2, 2004 - 05:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get more now on that startling confession from the person who founded Pakistan's nuclear program. A Pakistani government official tells CNN the scientist says he sold nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Our Ash-Har Quraishi joins us live on the phone from Lahore, Pakistan this morning with much more -- good morning, Ash-Har.
ASH-HAR QURAISHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, that's right, an official telling us today that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Kahn, the man credited as being the father of Pakistan's nuclear program, did, in fact, say in a statement that he had passed on nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Now, this is an investigation that has been ongoing here in Pakistan for the last two months. Officials say they have been probing whether or not nuclear scientists from within the program, as well as security personnel, knew anything about transfers to third countries.
Now, in the last few weeks, Dr. Kahn has been at the center of attention, although the government has not so far gone so far as to say he was a suspect until now. They have been investigating not only his activities, but also the activities of associates around him.
Now, Dr. Kahn is being held under tight security. He is at his home in Islamabad. Officials tell us that he has got -- he is now not allowed to make any telephone contact with anybody and there is heavy security around his home. Right now, however, it's unclear as to what the fate of Dr. Kahn will be. We understand from officials that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to address the nation after the Eid (ph) holidays, the Muslim holidays that conclude here on Thursday.
Now, President Musharraf is expected to make a formal announcement about Dr. Kahn and then at that point we expect some sort of recourse to be taken. The president may or may not announce formal charges or whether or not Dr. Kahn will be presented in the courts here in Pakistan or whether or not some sort of administrative reprimand will be taking place -- Carol.
COSTELLO: How much information is he giving up, Ash-Har, as far as how much information he provided to countries like North Korea?
QURAISHI: Well, we understand that there was some significant transfer. Now, officials that we've spoken to said that Dr. Kahn did meet with Iranian scientists before 1999 here in Karachi, actually. They haven't given us specific information as to what types of technology has been transferred, although they say that the statement, he does confess, and this is the first time that we're hearing anything from the Pakistani administration regarding North Korea. There had been denials.
Now, Pakistan had admitted last, in December, actually, that they had been approached by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the Iranian government, with information that pointed to specific scientists from within the program that were involved in Iran's nuclear program. But this is the first time that we're hearing from government officials that North Korea is also a place that Pakistan is now seeing transfers of technology to have taken place.
But right now they're not giving us specific details as to this statement. We expect at some point there will be more information, later in the week, when the official announcement comes out -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, we'll get back to you a little later on DAYBREAK.
Ash-Har Quraishi live from Pakistan this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nuclear Program>
