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WMD suspect got R7m - claim
09/09/2004 22:39 - (SA)
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| Gerhard Wisser at Vanderbijlpark regional court on charges under the weapons of mass destruction act. (Shayne Robinson, Sapa) |
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Erika Gibson, Beeld
Pretoria - Gerhard Wisser, one of two men arrested this week in connection with suspected international trade in nuclear components, is alleged to have received almost R7m as payment.
It is claimed he was to have delivered some of the components to Libya.
Wisser, a German who lives in South Africa, was arrested and interrogated in Germany about a week ago but not formally charged.
The German investigation team suspects Wisser and a German businessman who lives in Switzerland, Gotthard Lerch, got some of the components for Libya's now-defunct nuclear programme from Johan Meyer, against whom charges were withdrawn this week.
It was reported that Meyer's company, Trade Fin of Vanderbijlpark, allegedly imported equipment from Europe.
The equipment was then adapted to conform to Libya's specifications and shipped there via go-betweens.
Net becoming a little tighter
In the past, South African involvement has surfaced repeatedly in some of the investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
With the arrests of the three men in the past week it would seem as if the net around the suspects is becoming tighter.
According to reliable sources, the arrests could expose wide-ranging links in the network of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the so-called "father" of Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
Khan operated a worldwide "nuclear supermarket" to get components for third world countries, among them Libya, Iran and North Korea.
The German investigation team said in a statement that Wisser and Lerch were suspected of helping Libya to develop and build gas centrifuges.
These would enable Libya to enrich enough uranium for the manufacture nuclear weapons eventually.
Earlier this year, Lerch was described in a report from Malaysia as one of Libya's go-betweens "who obtained equipment from a South African manufacturer". The name of the manufacturer was not mentioned.
Lerch's Swiss home was searched this week by authorities to find clues of his involvement.
It is alleged that suspects from at least 20 countries, South Africa included, are involved in Khan's network.
Pakistan has so far refused the IAEA access to its nuclear facilities, hampering the agency's investigation.
Suppliers provided components at random
According to the Malaysian report, some of the suspect undertakings manufactured nuclear components and also components for the motor, petroleum and gas industries.
It also claims a variety of foreign suppliers provided components at random in an effort to hide the origin.
"Some of the suppliers knew that components could be used in nuclear-related equipment.
"On the other hand, others did not know what the final destination was," said the report.
- Beeld
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