S-1 slide 1

Nuclear Scientists

July 1999

S-1 slide 2

Nuclear Scientists

• Message on July 1 to Bulgarian and Romanian intelligence officials from German and American intelligence agencies:

– We have learned of a plot to send 5 nuclear scientists from Russia to Iran for a fee of three million dollars

– The scientists will allegedly transit through either Bucharest or Sofia in a few weeks

– Source: a western police informant with close ties to the Russian Mafia

» Source is of unproven reliability

S-1 slide 3

Nuclear Scientists — cont’d

• This same information is passed to Russian officials who, after checking, label it as nonsense

• July 4: Additional western intelligence passed to Bulgaria notes that Muhammed Hassari, an Iranian official, is the broker of the deal

S-1 slide 4

Nuclear Scientists — cont’d

• July 10: Police in Sofia report

– An Iranian “petrochemical official” named Hassari and three Russian “professors” have taken rooms at the Sheraton

– All four are booked on a flight tomorrow to Vienna with onward passage to Tehran

• American officials have learned of these events

– They request the Bulgarian Government to detain the Russians for return to Moscow and deport the Iranian

S-1 slide 5

Nuclear Scientists — cont’d

• Further checking reveals:

– Hassari is travelling on a diplomatic passport, the Russians on tourist visas

– The Russian Embassy shows surprise that there is concern over these “private citizens”

» Expulsion or detention of these law abiding citizens will be considered an unfriendly act

• Phonecall from Sheraton to police:

– Hassari and the Russians have changed their flight reservations

– They will depart on a flight to Kiev within the next three hours