Estimated
Date of Incident
|
Incident |
Date
First Reported
|
Source |
| 1998 |
On 8 February 2004, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Hayat reported that al-Qaeda had purchased tactical nuclear weapons from the Ukraine in 1998 and was “storing them for possible use.” Al-Qaeda allegedly purchased the bombs in Kandahar after a visit from Ukrainian scientists. The Ukrainian government denied that the transaction had taken place, stating that all nuclear weapons stored in the Ukraine had been transferred to Russia as of 1996. |
Feb 8, 2004 |
Al-Hayat
newspaper (Egypt) |
| Sep 1, 2002 |
On 23 January 2005, German police announced the arrest of an Iraqi al-Qaeda member who had allegedly attempted to purchase uranium in Luxembourg. In September 2002, Ibrahim Muhammad K. attempted to purchase 48 grams (1.5) ounces of uranium from an unnamed group in Luxembourg. Prosecutors claim that the amount of uranium was insufficient for the construction of a nuclear device. |
Jan 25, 2005 |
German
government |
| Unspecified |
British intelligence discovered documents in western Afghanistan which suggest that al-Qaeda members built a dirty bomb in Afghanistan. British officials also claim that the Taliban provided medical isotopes to al-Qaeda members to help construct the bomb. US officials cannot substantiate this claim. |
Jan 30, 2003 |
British Government |
| Early 2003 |
After the 2003 Casablanca bombings, a police roundup of Salafia Jihadia exposed a plot by 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Laysh to attack a French nuclear power plant at Cap de la Hague. Add-itional evidence indicates that members of al-Qaeda trained Salafia Jihadia for this mission. |
Jun 7, 2003 |
Moroccan
authorities |
| Mar 1, 2003 |
On 20 March 2003, the FBI announced that they were searching for Adnan al- Shukrijuma in connection with the Jose Padilla case. Padilla was arrested May 2002 for plotting to obtain materials in Canada for a dirty bomb. Shukrijuma was identified from documents obtained in connection with the 2002 arrest of Ramzi bin al-Shib, a key 9/11 architect. |
Mar 1, 2003 |
US Government,
FBI |
| Unspecified |
A publication posted by members of al-Qaeda on the internet included an article by 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Muqrin (Abu Hajir), a leading al-Qaeda fugitive in Saudi Arabia, which called for supporters to use nuclear and biological weapons in attacks against the Saudi government. |
Jan 18, 2004 |
Al-Qaeda manifesto, “The Base of the Vanguard.” |
| Unspecified |
In a secret interview with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, Ayman al-Zawahiri allegedly claimed that al-Qaeda possessed nuclear weapons purchased in Central Asia. Zawahiri reportedly told Mir that al-Qaeda sent representatives to “Moscow, Tashkent, [and] countries in Central Asia” in order to purchase “portable nuclear material.” |
Mar 3, 2004 |
Hamid Mir |
| Unspecified |
According to the 9/11 Commission, al-Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks were considering ways of using “weapons of mass destruction,” including mustard and cyanide, against Jews in Iran, “forcing Russian scientists to fire a nuclear-armed missile at the US,” and using air conditioning systems in buildings to pump poisonous gas. |
Jun 16, 2004 |
US Government;
9/11 Commission |
| Aug 1, 2004 |
Eight men were arrested in Britain and charged with conspiracy to murder after they were discovered with information on chemicals, explosives, and radiological materials. Also in their possession were plans of the New York Stock Exchange, the Citigroup Building in New York, the International Monetary Fund in Washington, and the Prudential Building in New Jersey. The arrests occured two weeks after a series of 13 arrests of men allegedly affiliated with the al-Qaeda network. |
Aug 2004 |
British Government |
| Unspecified |
An al-Qeada insider has alleged that Osama Bin Ladin was pressured by network affiliates to purchase radiological material through contacts in Chechnya. The insider has been named as Abu Walid al-Misri. |
Dec 19, 2004 |
Al-Qaeda “insider” |
| Unspecified |
Pakistani businessman Saifullah Paracha allegedly told al-Qaeda operatives that he knew where to obtain nuclear weapons that could be used against US troops. Paracha denied the allegations but admitted to meeting Osama Bin Ladin in 1999 to discuss business deals. |
Feb 11, 2005 |
US Government |
| Source: Excerpt from “Al-Qaeda’s WMD Activities.” Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Online at http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/other/sjm_cht.htm. |