Pakistan nuclear staff go missing

Pakistan nuclear staff go missing

news.bbc.co.uk

Two employees of Pakistan's atomic energy agency have been abducted in the country's restive north-western region abutting the Afghan border, police say.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I hope this is nothing and they just took a wrong turn somewhere, 'coz this could potentially get ugly otherwise.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

If they are tortured, how long will it be until they give up something on a 'soft' storage unit?

I was just about start a thread on this. What if they've been kidnapped to help "fix" old weapons?

Just what nuclear-skills do these technicians possess?

The first thought that went through my mind at reading that story was a parallel with a '24' plotline...maybe they've been kidnapped in the hope that they can re-engineer a trigger for a weapon already in their possession?

Perhaps this story is being read the 'wrong way round' as it leads one to assume that the technicians have been kidnapped by militants.

It could be also assumed that they have been taken by US Special Forces

Special forces on standby over nuclear threat
"US special forces snatch squads are on standby to seize or disable Pakistan's nuclear arsenal in the event of a collapse of government authority or the outbreak of civil war following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

The troops, augmented by volunteer scientists from America's Nuclear Emergency Search Team organisation, are under orders to take control of an estimated 60 warheads dispersed around six to 10 high-security Pakistani military bases.

I haven't read anything on this other than the BBC News report linked to this thread so, just to throw it into the mix, could these guys have deserted to the rebels to pass on secrets or to use their skills to help them?
Just a thought.

Any news on the skill levels of these technicians?

I suspect it is what it appears to be, a random kidnapping for money or prisoner exchange.

This is the part i find interesting

The workers from Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission were on a mission to map mineral deposits in the mountains when they were kidnapped, police say.

Were they looking for uranium? If so who wants scientist to help find uranium?Terrorist and Rebels wouldn't be able to process it.

Guess what, they aren't the only ones missing:

Search under way for Pakistan envoy

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani authorities have launched a search operation in the country's tribal region for Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, interior ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

"All law enforcement agencies in Khyber are carrying out search operations and we hope to recover him soon," Javed Iqbal Cheema said.

Police search for Pakistan envoy

Pakistani authorities were searching tonight for their country's Ambassador to Afghanistan and two nuclear officials who appear to have been kidnapped separately in the tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan.

Police were also interrogating Mullah Mansour Dadullah, a top Taleban commander who was captured in the northwest yesterday, amid reports that Islamist militants had offered to swap him for the Ambassador.

The envoy is one of the most senior government officials to have been kidnapped in Pakistan's tribal areas.

That could be very bad news. I seriously hope they don't fall into the wrong hands if they have any advanced knowledge.

Reminds me of that movie, The Sum Of All Fears with Ben Aflack. I would think that our guys are going to do what ever it takes to get these guys back or make sure they don't talk.

Originally posted by citizen smith
Just what nuclear-skills do these technicians possess?

The first thought that went through my mind at reading that story was a parallel with a '24' plotline...maybe they've been kidnapped in the hope that they can re-engineer a trigger for a weapon already in their possession?

It reminded me of "Sum of All Fears."
Has there been any reports in like Fox or CNN or any "American" news because that would just be... weird.

So were they kidnapped by extremists or are they in vacations somewhere in a CIA hideout? That's the question.

Will a nuke go off in the US? Then they'll blame Pakistan, or they will blame Iran to have kidnapped them for their secret non-existant nuclear weapon program... Either way it's good for the warmongerers in the White House.

[edit on 13-2-2008 by Vitchilo]