The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com/Reuters, Washington

The US State Department said on Monday it had slapped sanctions on 13 individuals and three private companies because of their involvement in the nuclear-proliferation network associated with Pakistani scientist AQ Khan.

"We believe these sanctions will help prevent future proliferation-related activities by these private entities, provide a warning to other would-be proliferators," the department said in a statement.

The sanctions, which include financial restrictions, followed a multiyear U.S. government review of information regarding the network associated with A.Q. Khan, a nuclear scientist revered at home as the father of Pakistan's atom bomb who has been under house arrest since 2004.

The sanctioned entities provided an "extensive international network" for the proliferation of nuclear equipment and know-how that offered "one-stop" shopping for countries seeking to develop nuclear weapons, the State Department said.