Father of Pakistan's nuke program confined to capital during pr

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The father of Pakistan's nuclear program, considered a national hero for giving the Islamic world its first atomic bomb, has been confined to the capital as investigators probe whether scientists leaked weapons technology, an acquaintance said Saturday.

Abdul Qadeer Khan has been questioned "many times" in recent weeks, said Zahid Malik, author of the book "Islamic Bomb" on Pakistan's nuclear program.

"He's cooperating but he's satisfied that he's done nothing wrong," Malik, who met with Khan on Thursday, told The Associated Press.

After denying for years that its scientists might have been involved in proliferation and provided technology to North Korea, Iran, Libya and Iraq, Pakistan recently acknowledged that some individuals might have leaked information for personal profit.

On Saturday, President Pervez Musharraf told reporters that the extreme secrecy surrounding the development of Pakistan's nuclear program 30 years ago gave wide latitude to scientists -- and possibly allowed them to sell information.

"Covert meant scientists moved around with full autonomy in a secretive manner," he said, adding that the program "could succeed only if there was total autonomy and nobody knew. That is how it continued."

"Now, if there was some individual or individuals, unscrupulous, if they were for personal gain selling national assets ... it was possible because it was not open, it was not under strategic check and controls. That is why it was possible," he added.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Musharraf said his country's investigation started after Iran disclosed to the U.N. inspection agency the names of people who provided them with nuclear technology -- including Pakistani scientists.

Musharraf said agents were investigating whether Pakistani government officials knew of technology being leaked overseas.

The probe also includes checks into the bank accounts of scientists and authorities who have been detained in connection with the suspected information leaks, an Interior Ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said investigators suspect one scientist and one other person did something for personal gain. He would give no names or further details.

"Pakistan's investigations are vigorous. And they are looking into all dimensions, including financial aspects," Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan told AP.

Eight scientists and administrators from the Khan Research Laboratories -- Pakistan's leading nuclear weapons facility that is named after Khan -- are currently being held for what the government has labeled "debriefings."

One scientist, Saeed Mansoor Ahmad, was released late Saturday, said Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who added that interrogations could be over within a week.

Though he is confined to the capital, Khan is continuing his work as an adviser in the prime minister's office, his acquaintance Malik said.

"He's restricted to Islamabad but goes to his office in the prime minister's secretariat," Malik told AP.

A government official said on condition of anonymity that "security restrictions may have been increased" on Khan but that the scientist had "chosen to stay in Islamabad" while "debriefings" of laboratory employees take place.

Musharraf has vowed to prosecute any scientists who sold nuclear secrets overseas for crimes against the state. In an interview with CNN on Friday, he said he wouldn't like to predict the outcome of Pakistan's investigation but that it appeared "some individuals were involved for personal gain."

Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the U.N. atomic agency who is also attending the World Economic Forum, said this week that the nuclear proliferation allegations involved a "very sophisticated network of black market" operators. But he said he had seen no evidence that the Pakistani government was involved.