WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) -- The United States Friday welcomed the arrest of a suspected nuclear middleman in Malaysia, calling it a major step in containing proliferation.
Malaysian officials Friday announced the arrest of Sri Lankan businessman Buhary Syed Abu Tahir, the member of a network that sold nuclear parts to other nations. Disgraced Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan headed the network. Khan has been under house arrest in Pakistan since February.
U.S. officials have said Tahir helped Khan sell nuclear parts Iran, Libya and North Korea. Although a Malaysian police report in February detailed his illicit activities, Tahir was not arrested until Friday.
"Mr. Tahir was one of the most important figures in the A.Q. Khan network. He served as Chief Financial Officer and essentially ran network operations," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
"We think his arrest is a major step and it will serve as a catalyst to international efforts to shut down the Khan network."
