Intercepted shipment was key to Libya deal
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The interception by British and US intelligence of a shipment of uranium enrichment centrifuges bound for Libya in October appears to have been the decisive step in persuading Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to abandon his nuclear weapons programme.
The disclosure, confirmed by US officials yesterday, came as John Bolton, US under-Secretary of State and a leading Bush administration anti-proliferation hawk, set off for London for talks on how to hold Libya to its promise.
According to the officials, the shipment, aboard a German freighter, originated in a Persian Gulf port, which they would not name. The vessel's owners were alerted and ordered the freighter to divert to an Italian port. There, intelligence operatives discovered the centrifuges, which are equipment for enriching uranium for civil or military nuclear projects. Officials declined to name the country that supplied the centrifuges. One likely suspect is Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, and which is believed to have provided nuclear equipment to Iran, whose alleged weapons programme is under intense scrutiny.
A preliminary inspection of Libya's nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency concludedthat the weapons programme was at a very early stage. But the US believes Libya's plans were far more advanced.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments