Marburg, Germany - A German trader, 60, who was alleged to have helped Pakistan make nuclear weapons was acquitted Friday with judges in Germany ruling the case had not been satisfactorily proved.

Prosecutors had admitted at the close of the trial that the case was too weak. But judges rejected a defence application for costs.

The chemistry expert confirmed he sold an alpha-gamma spectrometry device, valued at about 100,000 euros (157,000 dollars), to Pakistan in November 2003, but said he had no reason to think it was for nuclear research.

He said it was typical of those used in medical, physics, chemistry and environmental research laboratories to investigate nuclear particles and radiation. He was charged with breaching German laws against unauthorized exports of militarily useful goods.

Presiding judge Mirko Schulte told the court in Marburg, "There would have been more suitable devices for nuclear-weapon manufacture." Police told the trial they did not know where the device was now. (dpa)