German Arrested Over Suspected Nuclear Deal

A German man was arrested on suspicion of arranging the supply of nuclear arms equipment to Iran, federal prosecutors said on Thursday. The man, identified only as Helmut R., who has since been released, is suspected of brokering a deal in January 2003 for the supply of equipment used for handling spent fuel rods and separating plutonium. "These are required parts of a military nuclear program," prosecutors said in a statement. They said that the man's efforts to supply Iran with the equipment led them to believe he was working as a spy against Germany's interests. The 53-year-old man from Friedrichshafen told the Associated Press news agency he hadn't done anything illegal. He said he had informed German officials in advance of the intended sale, but they didn't approve it. In May, a German businessman was jailed for four years for attempting to ship aluminum tubes to North Korea for possible use in its nuclear weapons program.