Pakistani Scientists Under Investigation for Taliban-Bin Laden Links

The United States is seeking Pakistan's permission for American investigators to interview up to 12 Pakistani nuclear scientists, who are suspected of having contacts with representatives of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

Reliable sources tell EurasiaNet that between eight and 12 suspects had been contacted by Taliban and al Qaeda representatives, who offered lucrative incentives for the scientists to work on a "nuclear research program" inside Afghanistan.

American officials are said to possess "convincing evidence" that the Taliban and bin Laden were trying to work on a secret nuclear project. Those suspected by US intelligence of having links to bin Laden include three renowned retired scientists, Sultan Bashirruddin Mahmood, Abdul Majeed and Mirza Yusuf Baig. The identities of others were being withheld for "security reasons."

A source says that US officials believe that the al Qaeda nuclear project was perhaps at a very early stage of development, and they see little reason to believe about a presence or even production of nuclear weapons by the Afghanistan-based terrorist group.

Earlier this week Pakistan agreed to allow US investigators to interview the three retired nuclear scientists - Mahmood, Majeed and Baig - accused of having links with bin Laden. Mahmood already had been questioned by Pakistani intelligence agencies for alleged terrorist ties. He was released on October 26 after being "cleared" by security agencies, but the security agents detained him a second time on the night of October 28.

Sources close to Mahmood's family said the scientist returned home in a precarious state of mental and physical health. According to a late report, Mahmood was admitted into a military hospital due to an unexplained illness.

During the time spent with his family after being released by the security agencies, Mahmood appeared nervous, conspicuously quiet and displayed signs of extreme stress. "He did not talk much. Throughout the two-and-a-half days at home he was constantly watched and nobody was allowed to meet him," one source said.

Mahmood reportedly told his family during his second arrest October 28 that if they did not hear from him in a few days, they must deem him dead. Mahmood is a well-known Pakistani scientist, who gained a reputation as an ardent defender of Pakistan's right to develop nuclear weapons. He wrote several newspaper commentaries in 1998 that argued against Pakistan's joining the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Mahmood later retired and devoted himself to charity work, working closely with Afghan refugees. Eventually he established his own non-governmental organization that concentrated on Afghan-related work.

Asim Mahmood, the scientist's son, said his father had called the family late on October 31 and asked for some clothes and his personal computer, which were handed over to an unidentified man who came to collect them.

Among others investigated earlier by Pakistani intelligence are two retired colleagues of Mahmood's - the former chief engineer for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Abdul Majeed, and a former PAEC scientist, Mirza Yusuf Baig. A joint US Nuclear Task Force Team comprising FBI and CIA investigators reportedly interrogated the scientists.

According to a source, US investigators believe they have "credible information" that several on-the-job Pakistan scientists had promised the Taliban and bin Laden that they would leave their jobs in Pakistan, and move to Afghanistan to help develop nuclear weapons for Al Qaeda. Pakistani officials accept American claims that these scientists had been offered jobs to develop a scientific laboratory in Afghanistan. But Islamabad claims that "they had rejected the offer."

One Pakistani official, however, confirms that some of the scientists had agreed to work in Afghanistan, subject to the prior approval of the Pakistani government. A source said US intelligence has verified that suspected scientists told their Afghan "contact persons" that they could work in Afghanistan only with clearance from Pakistan.

Pakistani intelligence officials launched a thorough investigation two weeks ago and have reached the conclusion that "the offer was at an early stage, and that no on-the-job scientist, or experts had visited Afghanistan to make [direct] contact with [al Qaeda]."

Meanwhile Pakistani officials have also told EurasiaNet that the government is considering taking appropriate action, including possible expulsion, against the Taliban diplomats or individuals who initiated the contacts with the suspected scientists, without notifying Pakistani government representatives.