Pat Dollard

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This two picture combo shows two satellite images made available by DigitalGlobe show a suspected nuclear facility site, on Aug. 5, 2007 (left) and Oct. 24, 2007, before and after an Israeli airstrike.

Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON—North Korea was helping Syria build a plutonium-based nuclear reactor, the Bush administration is set to tell Congress, a revelation that could undermine diplomatic efforts to dismantle Pyongyang’s nuclear-weapons program.

Speculation about North Korea’s alleged role was sparked by a September Israeli strike inside Syria, which targeted what many U.S. government and private analysts believe was a nascent nuclear reactor. To date, neither Israel nor U.S. intelligence officials have made public information about the attack, except for a small number of lawmakers. That’s fueled criticism from Republicans who charge the Bush administration with downplaying the matter to avoid hurting talks with the North Koreans.

This week, the Central Intelligence Agency is expected to begin briefing members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees on the Israeli strike, according to Congressional and administration officials, based in part on intelligence provided by the Israeli government.

The information is expected to confirm that North Korea was helping Syria develop a plutonium-based nuclear reactor similar to the Yongbyon facility North Korea built north of Pyongyang, said an official familiar with the deliberations. The briefings are also expected to confirm that North Korean workers were active at the Syrian site at the time of the Israeli attack.

Less conclusive, however, is any firm evidence that Syria was attempting to develop nuclear weapons, according to the U.S. official. “People will probably spin this information in whatever direction they want,” the official said.

A spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe, said: “The administration routinely keeps appropriate Members of Congress informed of national security and intelligence matters, but I’m going to decline to comment on any specific briefings.” A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment.