The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has criticized the United States for withholding intelligence the U.S. says shows North Korea was helping Syria build a nuclear reactor.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said in a statement (Friday) he deplores the Bush administration's delay in providing the information.
He also condemned Israel for destroying the suspected site during an airstrike last September, but said the IAEA is taking the intelligence seriously and will investigate the matter. Syria today denied U.S. allegations it has been involved in secret nuclear activities with North Korea and accused the United States of aiding Israel in the attack. The Bush administration said Thursday Syria was building a nuclear reactor not intended for peaceful purposes. It called the matter a "potentially destabilizing development" for the region.