German Arrested on Suspicion of Nuclear Smuggling

A German businessman suspected of involvement in the smuggling of nuclear weapons-related equipment was arrested Tuesday, the Washington Post reported (see GSN, Sept. 15).

German prosecutors said that the man, identified as Helmut R., is believed to have arranged for the delivery of plutonium-separating equipment to an unidentified country for use in a nuclear weapons program, according to the Post. The man was arrested Tuesday in the German town of Friedrichshafen in an operation that also involved raids on his home and workshop in Friedrichshafen, a business in northern Germany and two sites in Switzerland, according to a statement issued by the German prosecutor’s office in Karlsruhe.

The man was released on bail and no charges have been filed (Craig Whitlock, Washington Post, Sept. 24).

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