Abu Walid al Misri, editor of al Imara (The Emirate) magazine, the Arabic-language magazine for the Taliban, wrote a book about the ‘Afghan Arabs,’ which was serialized in Al Sharq al Awsat newspaper from December 8-14, 2004. In it, he said: ” ‘The Taliban authorities in Kabul had in their possession a considerable quantity of radioactive materials seized from smugglers who came from the countries [of the former Soviet Union] especially Tajikistan, and other shipments that were left behind by the Soviets in Afghanistan, some of which were for medical use and some for some unknown use. The Taliban officials in Kabul threw up a heavy curtain of secrecy about their nuclear secrets and always preferred to open their hearts to the Pakistanis. They did not trust the Arabs most of the time. The Pakistanis paid small sums of money but obtained much more than their value in the form of radioactive materials that they alone knew their worth and which probably helped them in their nuclear program that came to the surface several years later. The Taliban officials allowed the Arabs to examine what was left of these materials.’ ”
– Peter Bergen, The Osama bin Laden I Know, Pages 343-344