Posted on 01/03/2008 2:49:46 PM PST by knighthawk
Iranian students are not welcome at the Technical University Twente in the town of Enschede. At the request of the Education Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the university has agreed not to admit any Iranian students. The government fears that Iranian students and workers would steal sensitive nuclear information to help their government develop nuclear weapons. The university's decision is the direct result of a 2006 UN resolution calling on member states to prevent Iran from gaining access to nuclear knowledge.
The UN has been concerned about the Iranian nuclear research programme for some time. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, says there is no evidence that Iran is developing its own nuclear weapon. However, at the same time Iran is accused of not providing sufficient information on its uranium enrichment programme.
The most recent US intelligence report on Iran also concludes that there is no evidence of an Iranian nuclear arms programme, but it does accuse Iran of withholding information. Tehran insists that its enrichment programme is intended exclusively for domestic production of the fuel rods needed for a nuclear power plant currently under construction.
Psychology Twente University is allowed to admit Iranian students on condition it guarantees they will not have access to nuclear information, a guarantee the university says it is unable to give. So far, three Iranian students have been refused. Iranians who want to study psychology would also be rejected. A spokesperson says students are free to wander around the campus, and 24/7 surveillance would be impossible. Iranian students already studying at Twente will be allowed to complete their studies.
Twente is the first technical university in the Netherlands to introduce such strict measures. The Delft Technical University says it first considers the subject that the applicant wants to study. In other words, Delft does not reject Iranian students on principle. The Eindhoven Technical University refuses to comment and refers all inquiries to the foreign affairs ministry.
Background
The Netherlands played a pivotal role in one of the 20th century’s biggest nuclear spying operations. Pakistani nuclear physicist Abdul Qadeer Khan obtained his doctors degree at the Delft technical university in 1967, and worked at the Physical Dynamic Research laboratory from 1972 until 1975. It was there that Mr Khan acquired knowledge of enriching uranium via the ultra centrifuge process, a method that is still in use today. He suddenly disappeared in 1975, only to reappear in 1976 as the leader of the Pakistani nuclear weapons research programme. In 2004, Pakistan announced that Mr Khan had sold nuclear information to Libya, Iran and North Korea. In doing so, Mr Khan was assisted by his Dutch business partner Henk Sleebos, who, years later, was handed a prison sentence for his illegal activities.
Former Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers says the then Dutch government was aware of Abdul Qadeer Khan's clandestine activities. Reportedly, he was not arrested at the request of the US intelligence service, the CIA, which wanted to gain insight in the network that the Pakistani scientist was a member of.
Ping
Can this really be true? If it is, then excellent.
Amazing. This could NOT happen in America.
CAIR and President Bush would prevail on the University to “maintain diversity”.
I was very surprised to hear Ron Paul this week say we still give student visas from terrorist countries and that he would stop that.
I’d like to see that policy implemented.
Common sense at last. There is hope for the Dutch.
“Reportedly, he was not arrested at the request of the US intelligence service, the CIA, which wanted to gain insight in the network that the Pakistani scientist was a member of.”
Well now, that worked out real well didn’t it?
Jeez...
The land of my maternal grandfather has done something right.
High five!
So what’s wrong with the US universities???
“Dutch university bans Iranian students”.
Why not all MOOSELIMBS?
They are making up for past sins. The closing paragraphs identify the university as the school Pakistan’s nuke program incubated in. And the Dutch KNEW what he was up to later on, BUT FAILED TO ARREST him. Should they at some point in the future seek American help in a Pakistani-sourced nuke event when they rejected previous American requests (that would have avoided the problem we have today), that help should only come with very big strings.
It does my heart good to finally be proud again to be a born Dutchman. I know most Europeans are liberal and especially the Dutch are very permissive, but in a way that cuts both ways as they were fabulous during WWII in helping the Jews from the Nazis. Last time I was back in The Netherlands I noticed a marked difference in the general population, especially the influx of muslims obviously visible by way the woman’s head dress. I think that Europe is finally about to wake up to Muslim Radicalism. Since I’m born Dutch I can permit myself to aks a question? (This of course is a joke)
If they call people from Poland Poles, what do they call people from Holland?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.