Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan has told US media that he was not responsible for passing nuclear secrets to Iran and Libya, backpedaling from his earlier admissions.In an interview with the McClatchy news organisation in Pakistan, Khan on Tuesday said that he introduced Tripoli and Tehran to Western businesses who provided the know-how on building a nuclear weapons program.Khan, regarded as the father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, said in a televised confession in February 2004 that he had run a network that passed atomic secrets and smuggled equipment and technological advice to Iran, North Korea and Libya over 15 years.But he recanted that admission in his interview with McClatchy, telling the news agency that he had merely given Iran and Libya “very small advice” on where to acquire the technology.“When Iran and Libya wanted to do their program, they asked our advice. We said: ‘OK, these are the suppliers, who provide all.’” Khan said that the companies who provided the technology to the two regimes were European.“The Germans have those drawings. The South Africans have those drawings. The French have those drawings. They were the suppliers. You can’t blame me for it. They were selling,” he said.
