u.s. accuses iraq in a-trigger plot : smuggling: officials say that baghdad undoubtedly intended 40 devices seized in london for nuclear arms. - energy storage devices

U. S.
Authorities on Thursday accused the Iraqi government of plotting a well-planned plot to smuggle electronic equipment from California to Baghdad, eventually used to detonate nuclear weapons.
Officials say they want to extradite the leader of the alleged plot in the United States for prosecution. A federal grand jury in San Diego has dropped charges against five suspected government agents in Baghdad. Ali Ashur dargil, there may be other participants.
In addition, dargil and two associates were charged with violating British export laws at the Uxbridge District Court in western London on Thursday. Both U. S.
British officials have reiterated their concerns about the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
"This is probably the biggest case in customs history," said US customs. S.
Customs Commissioner Carol Harriet
"This is a very terrible situation.
"As a new detail of 18-
There has been a month-long sting on both sides of the Atlantic, with Iraqi officials strongly condemning the United StatesS.
British action
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said at a rally in Baghdad that Iraq's enemies are trying to keep Iraq from "moving forward ".
Iraqi state news agency INA said the acting head of the British Embassy in Baghdad was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Minister hamar Hamdoon told him, "Iraq has not violated British law and no other country.
Ina said the foreign ministry spokesman "flatly denied the allegations contained in a statement issued by the British authorities on Wednesday.
"In Washington, John C, a senior customs officer.
There is no doubt that Iraqis had intended to use the United States, Kelly said. S. -
A device made, called a capacitor, is used to help detonate a nuclear weapon.
In his appearance with Hallett at the press conference, Kelly said: "According to their specifications. . .
It leaves nothing to the imagination. . .
As for what the purpose is.
The indictment charged the defendants with five allegations of conspiracy to export defense items, stating that they represented two companies, "acting as agents of the Republic of Iraq when purchasing defense items", military equipment and ammunition.
In addition, the indictment stated that the equipment was sought by the respondent "on behalf of al-Qaida under the Ministry of Industry and military industrialism of the Republic of Iraq.
"Part of the indictment contains a large number of excerpts from conversations that appear to have been secretly recorded, a fact that officials have reluctantly confirmed.
"These tapes will be played in court in San Diego," Kelly said . ".
The legal status of the five suspects was unclear on Thursday.
The authorities could not decide whether any of them could be extradited from the UK to the United States under a bilateral treaty.
S. senator Dan Eramian says the issue is still under "scrutiny ". S.
Washington Department of Justice spokesman
According to the indictment, the mastermind of the plot was daggir, 49, a double Iraqi-American.
A British citizen who manages the Iraqi government procurement office from the outskirts of London.
The company claims to be a food export company called Euromac (London)Ltd.
The other suspects mentioned in the indictment are Jeanine Celestine Speckman, a 41-year-old European mac executive;
There are also three engineers: Karim daidas Omran, Waleed Isa Ahmed and dafir al-Azawi.
The three engineers are believed to be in Iraq.
"I believe that for those who are currently in the UK, efforts will be made ---
At least there was a discussion about extradition . "
"But for those in Iraq, it is clear that there is little chance that we will see them in the United States.
"In the London court proceedings, a magistrate ordered that he be held without bail before a court hearing on April 5.
The magistrate released Speckman on bail and ordered his appearance on May 10.
The magistrate ordered the detention of another suspected dargil associate, Tufik Fouad amyoui, without bail. U. S.
Officials said Amyuni was not involved in the US military operation. S. case.
In addition, the British interior ministry ordered the expulsion of Omar Latif, described as the station manager of Air Iraq Heathrow airport.
Another Cypriot with a British passport was released after being questioned on Wednesday.
When dargil approached San Marcos, California, in September 1988, the international sting began.
China Securities Technology Co. , Ltd.
Seeking to buy custommade, high-
According to the indictment and the information provided by the United States, the voltage capacitorS. officials.
This request soon raised the suspicion of CSI Chairman Jerold D.
Kowalski reminded customs officials and agreed to play an important role in the incident.
The capacitor, allegedly sought by Iraqis, is an electrical energy storage device designed to quickly release about 5,000 volts of electricity into the trigger in order to detonate a nuclear missile warhead.
After further contact with Iraqis, customs officers learned, "the European procurement commission is an official procurement office of the Iraqi government, during the period in Iran, it has done millions of dollars in business for the Iraqi government to purchase military supplies --Iraq conflict.
"By May 1989, European airline officials had revealed to Kovalski and an undercover customs officer, Daniel Supnick, that the equipment was for al-Qaida state agencies, hallett said, it is part of Iraq's Ministry of Industry and military industry.
She added that further investigations by customs officers confirmed that al-Qaida was a facility for the Iraqi government to participate in the development of missiles, rockets and explosives.
In the negotiations between Daghir and CSI, the Iraqis also expressed interest in obtaining another advanced device called krytrons, which is actually a trigger for a nuclear bomb.
Thus, the customs agent persuaded the only domestic manufacturer of krytrons, such as & G;
The mass of Wellesley
Participate in the sting operation.
The company provided the customs with 40 units of equipment that could not be operated, but the plot never developed to the stage where false triggers were needed, according to keletters.
European airlines later renamed Atlas equipment (U. K. )Ltd.
Bought 10,000 capacitors for $100
Earlier this month, CSI delivered 40 vehicles to London Heathrow via Los Angeles International Airport.
The shipment was closely monitored by the United States. S.
British officials were on the journey, officials said.
When it arrived at a cargo shed at Heathrow, British officials replaced the virtual capacitor just in case.
A few days later, Iraqis began loading crates marked with air.
Air conditioning equipment on an Iraqi air carrier flight to Baghdad.
Authorities moved in later.
If convicted, each person mentioned in the San Diego indictment will face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The companies face fines of up to $1 million.
At the State Department in Washington, spokesman Richard Boucher carefully avoided any direct criticism of Iraq, while denying that the Bush administration had removed Iraq from its predicament.
Boucher reiterated the government's concerns about nuclear proliferation, but he did not accuse Iraq of violating the non-proliferation treaty.
It is a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty or an attempt to develop nuclear weapons.
"We did not foresee
"Iraq's nuclear weapons capability . " Said Boucher.
"However, we remain concerned about the dangers that Iraq may seek to develop its nuclear weapons options in the future.
Asked if the incident would have an impact on the United States. S. -
Boucher said, "I don't have any conclusions about this.
I say that we will review the information on this case very carefully, and we are now raising our concerns to Iraqis here and in Baghdad.
S. State Department summoned Iraqi ambassador to Iraq Mohammad Masat to ask the U. S. ambassador to IraqS.
Concerns about the case
In London, the plot in Iraq sparked a heated debate in the House of Commons, which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher called a "very, very serious incident ".
Mrs. Thatcher made a similar speech to President Bush on Wednesday, saying Britain is now "in urgent contact" with Africa.
"See what we can do. . . (so)
There is no repetition. . . .
"Also in the House of Commons, the opposition Labor Party's shadow foreign minister, Gerald Kaufman, has asked Britain to expel the ambassador from Baghdad and sever diplomatic ties in retaliation.
But Foreign Minister Douglas Hurd rejected the move, noting that two Britons were held in Iraq.
"I can see considerable risks and damage by severing diplomatic relations. . .
There is no practical advantage. "He said.
"I do not want our citizens, including our two prisoners, to be protected, but, we are also in a position, that is, between the Khyber Pass and the Mediterranean Sea, we don't actually have an embassy in the Middle East.
Britain is said to be the third country in Iraq.
Britain is Iraq's largest trading partner, with about 2,000 British citizens living in Iraq.
Despite the British government's request for leniency, Iraq executed an Iranian-born British journalist earlier this month after he was convicted of espionage.
Edwin Chen, Norman Kempster and Ronald J.
Ostros in Washington
Alan Abraham and Chris Krause in San Diego, Dan Fisher in London.