NBC Weapons: The Pakistani Eleven

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NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICALWEAPONS

May 7, 2006: Pakistan recently released, from detention, the last of eleven Pakistani scientists who helped develop Pakistan's nuclear weapons, but also made millions of dollars selling that technology to countries like Iran, North Korea and Libya. There was an international uproar three years ago when this black market for nuclear weapons secrets was revealed. Pakistan said it would look into it, and put into comfortable detention eleven of their nuclear scientists that were involved. However, the scientists were allowed to keep the money they had made selling the nuclear technology, and Pakistan has not allowed any foreign intelligence or police agencies to speak with the eleven. It's a touchy situation, because the eleven scientists are national heroes in Pakistan. They now live, under tight security, in Pakistan. The government has absolved them of any wrongdoing. There is fear that the "Pakistani Eleven" could go into business again, with some of the original members, or a new crew from Pakistan's nuclear weapons industry.