Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan could be murdered to prevent him from revealing that he acted under government orders when selling nuclear secrets, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has alleged in an interview. Dr AQ Khan confessed in February to transferring sensitive technology to North Korea, Iran and Libya for money. "There is a concern amongst many of us that Dr Khan may be killed to silence him, and that it will be shown as a heart attack or something else," Benazir told Australian Broadcasting Corp television.
| Gee, ya think maybe Benazir has been reading Rantburg? |
Details of the interview were released to the media before it was scheduled to air later Monday on ABC’s Four Corners programme. Benazir claimed Khan would never act alone. "I just know that wherever he went, he went under orders," she said. "I know he didn’t do it on his own. They played to his ego, but he didn’t go on his own. He went because he was ordered," said Benazir.
| Or at least had permission. |
Officials at the Pakistan Embassy were not available for comment on Monday, a public holiday in Australia. It was unclear when the interview was recorded. |