US believes Musharraf that N-scientist Khan acted alone

WASHINGTON: The US administration has said it takes President Pervez Musharraf at his word that Pakistani scientist AQ Khan peddled nuclear technology without the knowledge of the leadership in Islamabad.

"President Musharraf has said that Khan was acting without the knowledge of the highest levels of the Pakistani Government and we take him at his word", was the response of the State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack on being asked about the activities of the disgraced nuclear scientist, his peddling of nuclear secrets to North Korea and Iran.

The clean chit to Musharraf comes at a time when there is growing concern over the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the light of tension with Iran in the Middle East.

White House has been coming under persistent pressure on the Capitol Hill to lean on Pakistan to come clean on the nuclear peddling by Khan in the international arms bazaar through his dubious  network, particularly to Iran and North Korea.