California, Oct. 25 -- Former officer in the USA's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Kiriakou, in a stunning revelation, disclosed that America had refrained from eliminating Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan's atomic bomb and a prolific proliferator of nuclear technology, after 'direct intervention' by the Saudi government.

In an interview with ANI, Kiriakou, who spent 15 years in the CIA as an analyst and later in counterterrorism operations, said that the US had precise operational details of Khan, including his daily routine and residence. However, the agency was instructed not to act, following diplomatic pressure from Riyadh.

"A colleague of mine was dealing with A Q Khan," Kiriakou said. "If we had taken the Isra...