Operation Merlin
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Operation Merlinwas aUnited Statescovert operationunder theClinton Administrationto provideIranwith a flawed design for a component of anuclear weaponostensibly in order to delay the alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program, or to frame Iran.[1]
History
[edit]In his bookState of War,author and intelligence correspondent forThe New York TimesJames Risenrelates that theCIAchose a defectedRussiannuclear scientist to provide deliberately flawed nuclear warhead blueprints to Iranian officials in February 2000.[2]According to CIA documents, the search for a suitable Russian emigre with an engineering background in nuclear physics and production began in September 1996. The Russian emigre selected was first contacted by the CIA in August 1994, and received a monthly salary of US$5,000 (plus travel expenses) in 1997 and 1998, which was raised to US$6,000 beginning in February 1999. The weapon component selected was based on the Russian TBA-480 Fire Set (High Voltage Automatic Block), which was modified in an attempt to make it "fatally flawed". The CIA estimated that the TBA-480 Fire Set, which had been developed atArzamas-16,was 20 years more advanced than anything required to get a first generation nuclear weapon operational. After the delivery of the designs to Iran on March 3, 2000, the CIA extended the employment of the Russian emigre to at least March 2003, with the intention of conveying the flawed TBA-480 plans to another country suspected of interest in developing nuclear weapons.[1]
Risen wrote in his book that President Clinton had approved the operation and that the Bush administration later endorsed the plan.[2][3]Earlier publication of details on Operation Merlin by theNew York Timesin 2003 was prevented by the intervention ofNational Security AdvisorCondoleezza Ricewith theNYT's Executive EditorHowell Raines.[4]
Backfire
[edit]Operation Merlin backfired when the CIA's Russian contact/messenger noticed flaws in the schematics and told the Iranian nuclear scientists.[5]Instead of cripplingIran's nuclear program,the book alleges, Operation Merlin may have accelerated it by providing useful information: once the flaws were identified, the plans could be compared with other sources, such as those presumed to have been provided to the Iranians byA. Q. Khan.[5][better source needed]
Indictment, conviction of former CIA officer
[edit]In late 2010, former CIA officer Jeffrey Alexander Sterling was indicted for allegedly being the source of some of the information in Risen's book, and was convicted of espionage in January 2015.[6]He was convicted and sentenced to3+1⁄2years in prison.[7]
See also
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- James Risen,State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration,Free Press, January 2006,ISBN0-7432-7066-5
References
[edit]- ^ab"USA v. Sterling 10 CIA Exhibits on Merlin Ruse"(PDF).Central Intelligence Agency. 2015-01-14.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2016-01-06.Retrieved2015-01-17.
- ^abRisen, James(2006-01-03).State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration.Free Press.ISBN978-0-7432-7066-3.
- ^Borger, Julian (2006-01-05)."US blunder aided Iran's atomic aims, book claims".The Guardian.London: Guardian Unlimited.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-10-25.Retrieved2010-05-20.
- ^Harlow, William R. (2015-01-16)."USA v. Sterling Exhibits 105-108 Risen-CIA Logs"(PDF).Central Intelligence Agency.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2015-01-22.Retrieved2015-01-17.
- ^abRisen, James (2006-01-05)."George Bush insists that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. So why, six years ago, did the CIA give the Iranians blueprints to build a bomb?".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-04-01.Retrieved2010-05-20.
- ^Isikoff, Michael (2011-01-06)."Ex-CIA Officer Charged with Leak to Reporter".NBC New York.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-09-10.Retrieved2011-01-07.
- ^"Former CIA Officer Jeffrey Sterling Sentenced to 3 1/2 Years for Leak to Times Reporter".www.nbcnews.com.NBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 2015-05-15.Retrieved2015-05-16.
