North Korea could resume nuke tests

The official U.S. government line up till now has been that North Korea possessed “at most” one or two atomic weapons. Goss’ claim also clashes with recent analysis by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service that the North could have made one or two crude nuclear weapons.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Select Intelligence Committee Goss also warned North Korea could resume missile testing at any time. He said the agency believed the North can field effective long-range missiles, saying its Taepodong 2 missile was capable of carrying a nuclear payload to the U.S. The range of the Taepodong 2, known to be under development, is believed to be 6,000 km, enabling it to strike Alaska.

But the CIA director did not claim that North Korea had developed miniaturized nuclear warheads capable of being carried by missiles. Goss also said North Korea continued to develop, produce, deploy and sell ballistic missiles of increasing range and sophistication. He said Pyongyang maintained active chemical and biological weapons programs and was prepared to use them.

Goss warned that the threat can’t be taken lightly even if Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri were captured, because the terrorist factions around the world would remain resolute. Countries like Iran were also a threat to US as it was pursuing long-range ballistic missiles, Goss said. Rejecting the Iranian claim that it is interested only in nuclear power, Goss said: “We are more concerned about the dual-use nature of the technology.�

He added that Iran could encourage attacks on Israel through Hezbollah in hopes of derailing peace between Israel and the Palestinians. While FBI director, Robert Mueller, said that terrorist threats at home came not only from al-Qaeda, but also from Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which were theoretically capable of carrying out terrorist attacks on US soil.

At a US Senate Intelligence Committee session, CIA Director Porter Goss said that the Iraq War provided terrorists with opportunities to gain experience and connections. FBI Director Robert Mueller voiced his concerns that a terrorist cell in the US could wait on stand-by for years before attacking. Goss and FBI Director Robert Mueller appeared before the normally secretive committee in its annual hearing to discuss global threats, and their testimony suggested that Iraq may pose a bigger terrorist threat now than it did before the U.S.-led invasion nearly two years ago.

“These jihadists who survive will leave Iraq experienced and focused on acts of urban terrorism,” he said. “They represent a potential pool of contacts to build transnational terrorist cells, groups and networks in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other countries.” Goss and Mueller reiterated their belief that al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups intend to strike the United States but offered no new information about the threat.

Mueller said Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network is “still the most lethal threat we face today” and destroying al-Qaeda “is also one of our most difficult challenges.” The FBI director said that in the past year his agency has identified extremists throughout the United States and begun monitoring their activities. Goss said al-Qaeda remains intent on finding ways around America’s improved security system.