US is investigating new intelligence reports of contats between Pakistani nuclear weapons scientists and the Taliban or the terrorist network al-Qaida, The New York Times reported, citing US and Pakistani officials. Pakistani detained and interrogated two nuclear scientists more than a month ago who had contacts with the Tailbone and al-Qaida, but neither had any knowledge or expertise that would have helped terrorists build or obtain a nuclear device, the newspaper reported, citing the officials.
According to The Times, since then U.S. and Pakistan officials have received new reports of other possible contacts involving scientists with actual experience in production of nuclear weapons and related technology.
Pakistani officials said their government was resisting some of the US efforts to question several of the scientists and engineers for fear that the intelligence reports may be a ploy by the U.S. to learn details of Pakistan's secret nuclear program. Bureau Report