Russian Mp: Osama Bin Laden May Take Possession Of Nuclear Weapons

At present, Osama bin Laden, international terrorist No 1, has no opportunity to get nuclear weapons, but there is a danger that he may get possession of them one day. This opinion was expressed today by Andrei Nikolayev, a retired high-ranking military official, now chairman of the Duma defence committee, at a press-conference in Moscow. According to Nikolayev's, by using profits from drug-trafficking, which are estimated at 45 billion dollars, terrorists "may get components for nuclear weapons as early as tomorrow." In this connection, we should spare no effort to prevent terrorists from getting access to nuclear components, Nikolayev stressed. When speaking about the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, he opined that the problem of international terror could not be solved by military means alone. He said that after the Afghan operation the United States might stay in Central Asia for a long time. "History shows that when the US comes to some regions, it stays there long," the deputy noted. In Nikolayev's opinion, this scenario might reduce Russia's opportunities in the region and enhance contradictions between Russia, the United States and the countries of the region.