Pakistan's Nuclear Hero Defended

The "fabulous" Hendrina Khan Hotel, named after Khan's Dutch wife, was one of dozens of the scientist's business undertakings investigated by Pakistani intelligence officials, according to the The Indian Express.

Rajesh Mishra, a New Dehli-based defense analyst writing for the Hindustan Times, says the danger of nuclear proliferation Pakistan poses remains "alarmingly high."

"Discoveries that some members of Pakistan's scientific community are under the influence of extreme ideologies further raise the fear of sensitive information, technology or material falling into rogue hands," he writes.

Abdul Qadeer Khan himself once said: "All western countries, including Israel, are not only the enemies of Pakistan but, in fact, of Islam.'"

The Indian daily notes that one leading Pakistani physicist Bashir-uddin Mahmood, had several meetings in August 2001 with Osama bin Laden.

The Indian editors pose some hard questions about the realities of the international nuclear black market.

"Is it possible that the [Pakistani] scientists involved in State-managed clandestine deals overreached the arrangement of cooperation? "

"If so, was it a planned move [on the part of the Pakistani and U.S. governments] to overlook this extended relationship?"

They answer that question with another question:

"Or was the Pakistan government unable to question the illegitimate affairs within secret arrangements that involved a scientist like Khan?"

In other words, was the United States totally clueless while a Pakistani scientist supplied nuclear technology to Iran and North Korea?