Pakistani nuclear scientists kidnapped
posted at 10:35 am on February 12, 2008 by Bryan
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They were on a geological survey when they were abducted.
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.
The technicians went missing on the same day as Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, was reportedly abducted in the same region…
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.
“The technicians were going for some geological survey in the area when they were kidnapped at gunpoint along with their driver,” Romail Akram, a senior police official, told Reuters news agency.
Their vehicle was intercepted by masked gunmen in the Dera Ismail Khan district, a stronghold of local militants.
“We don’t know if the abductors were militants or members of some criminal gang,” a local police chief, Akbar Nasir, told the AFP news agency.
He said efforts to locate the missing men had yet to yield any results.
Not good.
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Even though these chaps are presumably geologists, rather than nuclear-technology engineers, they are an important prerequisite part in the process chain leading towards nuclear weapons.
Perhaps Iran peacefully sponsored their kidnap for their peaceful nuclear program?
LimeyGeek on February 12, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Not that unusual. That area has always been a haven for criminals.
bnelson44 on February 12, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Not good is an understatement. Ugh!
wytammic on February 12, 2008 at 10:45 AM
What are nuke scientists doing poking around at rocks? That’s what geologists are for.
CliffHanger on February 12, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Ruh roh.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 12, 2008 at 10:49 AM
You’re supposed to keep nuke scientists under lock and key, and let them out only on holidays and birthdays accompanied by an accomplished security detail.
CliffHanger on February 12, 2008 at 10:50 AM
They were probably searching for uranium deposits for future mining operations.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 12, 2008 at 10:51 AM
This pales in comparison to a much bigger problem posing a greater threat to the security of our country.
President Obama.
fogw on February 12, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Time to move out to the country. Farm living is the life for me.
Nosferightu on February 12, 2008 at 10:59 AM
It is a massive problem. One step closer, day by day.
blatantblue on February 12, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Tom Clancy – “The Sum of All Fears”
jake-the-goose on February 12, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Employees does not scientists make. Based on the story, they were clearly geologists or surveyors.
Or intellegience agents,,,,
Kasper Hauser on February 12, 2008 at 11:05 AM
The 911 attacks put 250,000 people in the WTC area in danger (50,000+ in the towers alone). The collapse of the towers turned two entire American zip codes into rubble. It’s been compared to a nuclear attack in scale. Now, if a nuke goes off 8 months into President Clinton or President Obama’s administration…are they to blame?
Don’t worry NYC. Islamabad, Kabul, Baghdad, Paris, London, Rome, there are much closer, easier, targets.
scottm on February 12, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Not to make light of the situation, but this did pop up in my brain.
Marty McFly: Doc, you don’t just walk into a store and buy plutonium. Did you rip that off?
Dr. Emmett Brown: Shhhhhh. Of course. From a group of Libyan nationalists. They wanted me to build them a bomb, so I took their plutonium and in turn, gave them a shiny bomb-casing full of used pinball machine parts! Come on! Let’s get you a radiation suit. We must prepare to reload.
Dr. Emmett Brown: Oh, my God, they found me, I don’t know how, but they found me. Run for it Marty.
Marty McFly: Who? Who?
Dr. Emmett Brown: Who do you think? The Libyans.
Marty McFly: Holy s___!
Techie on February 12, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I am curious how police know the details of how they were captured.
db on February 12, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Spiritual Warfare is real. The best candidate to win the war that the Islamofascists have declared on us is Mike Huckabee.
ITookTheRedPill on February 12, 2008 at 11:19 AM
One doesn’t need to hold political office to fight spiritual warfare, so how about a compromise: Huck can fight the spiritual fight from right where he is, and we can elect someone with some military/foreign policy experience to be president. It like getting the best of both worlds.
Nosferightu on February 12, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Something stinks big time here. Nuke techs don’t do geology work. What was any non military personnel doing survey work in what is essentially a war zone? Why bother to announce it to the world that these are nuke techs?
A con for a big ransom? A decoy for something else? This is certainly not what it seems but then we are dealing with Paki Muslims, so expect trickery if not treachery.
BL@KBIRD on February 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Very detailed description of the capture. Police probably standing around watching it happen.
koolbrease on February 12, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Fear not, the Democrat party has told me that there is no terroist threat and even if Al Quieda gets nuclear technology they believe it will be used for peaceful purposes.
Alden Pyle on February 12, 2008 at 11:58 AM
He is not MY Spiritual Warrior! I would rather be in a foxhole with an atheist in the military that with that bible thumpin’ hillbilly!
ihasurnominashun on February 12, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Another reason NOT to support Huckabilly…apparently his non-supporters are the intellegent ones!
ihasurnominashun on February 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Huckahu Akbar!
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 12, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Thats not entirely fair, you never know how someone will react in life and death situation.
I’m going to hope that these were just taliban dumb asses and the don’t know who they have. I’m also hoping these blokes don’t get their heads sawn off with knives.
liquidflorian on February 12, 2008 at 1:27 PM
I don’t see “scientists” written anywhere in that article. Scientist is sexier than “technician” granted. But still…
Their own headline reads “Pakistan nuclear staff go missing”.
DMeNTe on February 12, 2008 at 1:37 PM
I just hope I`m in the ground zero area. I don`t want a long and painful death. Just torch me quick and get it done.
ThePrez on February 12, 2008 at 3:05 PM
I keep thinking of the scientists in Area 51 from “Independence Day”.
“As you can imagine, they don’t let us out much around here.”
Theophile on February 12, 2008 at 4:08 PM
On this thread allow me to leave with this thought.
For everything we hear, see or are left to ponder,
multiply that by a predetermined factor.
Then you get closer to the truth…..
just how far down this path we really are.
jerrytbg on February 12, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Neutron bombs over Waziristan will end this problem.
The failure to act with the strength we posses only encourages our enemies to possess it, and use it.
And they will.
If we don’t.
They’ve declared their aim: a global theocratic terror tyranny.
Why we are waiting for its implementation is the only mystery.
Is the West braindead, chickshi’ite, or too full of pimps?
profitsbeard on February 12, 2008 at 9:38 PM
The story does not say they were nuclear techs. It said they were techs working for the nuclear agency doing a geological survey.
Most likely they were some worker bees who were sent to certain areas to collect samples and bring them back to the real scientists.
Even if they are geologists and not mere workers, there is a huge gap between geology and nuclear weapons.
schmuck281 on February 13, 2008 at 12:13 AM
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