Region | Syria
US officials: Syria has 'nuclear reactor' built with North Korea
The Syrian facility bombed by Israel in September 2007 was a nuclear reactor, built with North Korea's help, US officials will tell congress members on Thursday, an allegation which Syria has denied.
- Agencies
- Published: 14:17 April 24, 2008
- Image Credit: AP/DigitalGlobe
- A satellite image of the Syrian site before Israel's September attack.
Washington: The Syrian facility bombed by Israel in September 2007 was a nuclear reactor built with North Korea's help, US officials will tell congress members on Thursday, an allegation which Syria has denied.
US intelligence officials claim they have video footage showing a nuclear reactor very similar to facilities in North Korea, but added that the facility was not operational and no fuel was present.
Syria has denied the accusation and maintains that the facility was a non-operational military base.
In response to the claim, Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, said:'' There was no Syria-North Korea co-operation whatsoever in Syria. We deny these rumours.''
The Syrian ambassador to the US also vehemently denied the reports to CNN, calling them “absurd and preposterous''.
The target of Israel's raid has been veiled in secrecy, with US intelligence and government officials refusing to confirm until now that suspicions that the site was to be a nuclear reactor.
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