Johnny Appleseed

Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistani Nuclear Scientist

1935 Born in Bhopal, India to a Muslim family.

1950s His family is forced to flee India for Pakistan during the British partition of India.

1961 Studies metallurgy at Technische University in Charlotenberg, West Berlin.

1963 Moves to Holland and continues studies for his master's in physical metallurgy at the Technological University of Delft.

1972 Earns a doctorate from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and goes to work for the Physical Dynamics Research Laboratory, or FDO, in Amsterdam.

1974 Visits the nuclear enrichment site in Almelo, Holland. He spends 16 days in the most secret part of the facility. Coworkers say they see him writing in Arabic in a notebook while touring the site.

1976 Suddenly returns to Pakistan with his family and establishes the Engineering Research Laboratory (ERL) with the permission of Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto and money from Libya, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

1983 Dutch officials accuse Khan of stealing the secret formula for processing bomb-grade uranium while working at Almelo. He is sentenced to four years' imprisonment in absentia.

1980s He is instrumental in plying the world market for parts and technology both legally and on the black market. Achieves enrichment of uranium to weapons grade level.

1988 Pakistan detonates its first nuclear device.

1990s Khan becomes revered throughout Pakistan as "father" of the Pakistani nuclear bomb. Schools, hospitals and soccer clubs are named for him.

1990s Makes repeated visits to North Korea and sponsors North Korean delegation to Pakistan. Swaps nuclear technology for North Korean ballistic missiles.

2004 After his dealings are revealed in the media, Khan confesses to spreading nuclear technology to Iran, Libya, and North Korea. He claims his actions were made completely on his own volition without the knowledge of Pakistan's military government and asks to be forgiven.

April 2004 He is pardoned from all wrong doing by President Musharaf of Pakistan with the acquiescence of the United States government.