A U-S newspaper says two Pakistani nuclear scientists, detained in their country, have now admitted to holding long discussions with Osama bin Laden on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
The Washington Post quotes Pakistani intelligence sources familar with the interrogations of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood and Abdul Majid.
The scientists, who have been undergoing interrogation for more than two months, claimed earlier that they met Osama bin Laden only to discuss relief efforts in Afghanistan. But the report says the two men changed their story after being confronted with compelling evidence of their relationship with the al-Qaida leader.
Pakistani officials say the two scientists met the terrorist leader in Kabul in August. But the officials describe those discussions as "academic" and say they have no evidence the talks led to the production of any weapons.
Pakistani officials told the newspaper the retired nuclear scientists insisted they did not provide any material or specific plans for a weapon to the terrorist leader.
According to the Washington Post, the Pakistani government is considering charging the scientists with violating the national secrets act. The men are currently held at an undisclosed location.
U-S officials have expressed concern that the al-Qaida leader may have acquired some type of radiological material.