/ 3 September 2004

SA man in court on nuke charges

A South African citizen will appear before a Vanderbijlpark magistrate on Friday in connection with the contravention of laws on weapons of mass destruction and on nuclear energy, Scorpions spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said on Thursday.

The man was arrested on Thursday by investigators led by the National Prosecuting Authority.

According to Abdul Minty, chairperson of the South African Council For the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: ”There has [also] been a recovery of items alleged to have been used in the contraventions.”

He said enquiries were being made into the activities of ”some companies and individuals, who may be involved”.

”In the context of these investigations, the South African authorities have co-operated with their counterparts in other countries as well as with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

Minty said that since 1994 the government had adopted a strict policy of disarmament and non-proliferation with regard to weapons of mass destruction and the capabilities to produce these weapons. – Sapa