Czech public television, CT1, has reported the Czech security service, BIS, foiled several attempts by North Korea last year to buy technology that would have helped it produce nuclear weapons,Security service spokesman Jan Subrt told the station, "Our service last year stopped three exports which were destined for North Korea. Specifically, they were special machine tools, the pieces themselves and spare parts". She said that the North Koreans who attempted to buy the machines were employees of North Korean companies as well as official institutions.
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/ reports that experts say that North Korea is particularly interested in special machine tools that would enable it to produce smaller nuclear weapons since now North Korea is able to make only huge nuclear weapons, but not smaller ones with launchers to transfer them far abroad.
BIS said in its annual report for 2005 that Iran and Syria are probably also interested in special equipment that could be applied in arms industry
