Washington — The Bush administration has
stepped away from a high- profile assertion about Al-Qaeda nuclear
threats, thanks to Greenpeace’s uncovering of the truth. In his
2002 State of the Union address, President Bush stated that U.S.
operatives had uncovered ìdiagrams of American nuclear power
plants” in Afghanistan’s rugged mountain caves. ìOur discoveries in
Afghanistan confirmed our worst fears,” continued President Bush,
describing Al-Qaeda nuclear and chemical warfare ambitions.
However, an investigation by Greenpeace has forced the White House
to back away from this claim.
In response to inquiries by Greenpeace, Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) Commissioner Edward McGaffigan stated in a
February 4 letter that he had testified numerous times over the
past two years, and had told numerous administration officials that
he ìwas aware of no evidence” that plant diagrams had been found in
Afghanistan. The NRC is the federal agency tasked with maintaining
security at the nation’s plants.
Sources at the National Security Council said on Monday night
that the President’s statements came from information collected by
the intelligence community rather than from actual diagrams found
in Afghan caves.
The story was reported in today’s New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, and Boston Globe. Greenpeace Nuclear Policy Analyst Jim
Riccio is available for interviews. He has appeared on numerous
television and radio interview shows and is a fifteen-year veteran
of advocacy groups, having been quoted by major newspapers across
the country.
