Siemens 'sold Iran sabotaged gear for nuclear sector'

A prominent MP, Aladin Borujerdi, has accused German firm Siemens of having sold Iran equipment for its nuclear activities laced with mini-explosives, which were removed, Iranian media reported on Sunday. Borujerdi, who chairs the parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission, made the allegation in an interview with parliament's ICANA news website (www.icana.ir/NewsPage.aspx?NewsID=206727). "Intelligence-security apparatus succeeded in discovering explosives in equipment which were provided to us for our nuclear activities. The explosives were to blow up when activated to disrupt the whole system. Domestic experts nullified the plot of the enemy, however," he was quoted as saying by ICANA. "The company Siemens, which provided this equipment, must answer for its action," he said. Iran's Press TV carried the story on its website, but no other state media reported on the claim. There was no immediate response from Siemens for comment on Borujerdi's charge on Sunday. Iran often alleges sabotage attempts by Western or Israeli intelligence services, but provides little in the way of evidence. The Islamic republic, however, has suffered the assassination of four of its nuclear scientists in the past two years, attacks it has blamed on Israel, the United States and Britain. It has also been targeted by sophisticated computer viruses, such as Stuxnet and Flame, that have spied on its activities or wiped out data.