Last spring we noted European reporting on an alleged export of an isostatic press to Iran by the Beligian company EPSI. Since then there's been little news -- until now. The story has busted open and the recriminations have begun. First on the chopping block is the chief of Beligum's federal security service, who has resigned. Paul Belien of The Brussels Journal blog has more:
It was revealed today that on November 3, 2004 a Belgian company exported a machine to Iran which will help Teheran to build (nuclear) missiles. The machine, a hot isostatic press, was exported by the Belgian company EPSI (Engineered Pressures Systems International) despite frequent and urgent requests by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) not to do so. From July 17, 2004 onwards CIA officers had been warning their colleagues at the Belgian state security service, the Sûreté de l’État (SdÉ), that Iran Aircraft Industries was trying to buy an isostatic press in Belgium.
Anne-Marie Lizin, the speaker of the Belgian Senate, said today that the Americans "asked the Belgian government with insistence not to contribute, not even inadvertently, to the Iranian missile program." Yesterday evening Koen Dassen, the head of the SdÉ, resigned. A report presented to the Belgian Senate today says that Mr Dassen failed to inform the government in Brussels of the American request. However, the delivery of the isostatic press to the Iranians went ahead despite negative advice from CANPAN (Commission d’avis pour la non-prolifération des armes nucléaires), the Belgian Advisory Committee for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Arms. In its report of September 28, 2004 CANPAN wrote that there was "an unacceptable risk that the machine will be used for activities related to nuclear arms or nuclear explosions."
The American authorities also contacted the Belgian Customs to prevent the exportation of the isostatic press, but all to no avail. Justice Minister Laurette Onkelinx, the minister supervising the Belgian state security service, claimed that the SdÉ had never informed her of the American objections to the delivery of the isostatic press to Iran. The report blames Mr Dassen for incompetence.
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