Were the British Military Cavers looking for al-Qaeda Nukes hidden in Mexican caves?

scotsman.com ^ | Sat 27 Mar 2004 | John-Paul Ford Rojas and Pat Hurst

[Destro]

Sat 27 Mar 2004

3:03am (UK)

Rescued Cavers Face New 'Uranium' Probe

By John-Paul Ford Rojas and Pat Hurst, PA News

Six British cavers rescued in Mexico were at the centre of a fresh investigation today into reports they were looking for radioactive materials.

Defence officials last night denied claims that the men who were on a military training mission had been searching for uranium in the caves near Cuetzalan.

The group was trapped for six days in a flooded underground cavern before being freed by specialist divers.

But they emerged from under the ground to face questions from immigration officials about their visa status.

Foreign Office officials last night sought to play down suggestions of a rift with their Mexican counterparts, saying they respected the need for the issue to be clarified.

Meanwhile minister Bill Rammell met the Mexican ambassador to Britain and thanked him for the country’s help in rescuing the trapped team.

But later the country’s president Vicente Fox said his government had demanded “clear information about what they were doing” only to receive answers which “frankly did not satisfy”.

Later, Mexico’s federal organised crime prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos said the Attorney General’s office had opened an investigation, based on media reports of the men’s possible activity in searching for deposits of radioactive materials.

But he added that there was currently no evidence of any illegal activity or even that there was any uranium in the caves.

He said any criminal investigation would have to wait until after immigration authorities made a decision on the Britons’ case.

All the cavers were rescued unharmed on Friday by British and Mexican divers from the caverns at Cuetzalan, 110 miles north-west of Mexico City.

After medical checks they spent yesterday in a military hospital in the regional capital of Puebla.

It appeared the group may not have had the correct papers for their mission.

Although they had visas for exploring the caves, they were also mapping the caves, a common practice for potholers.

Mapping comes under “scientific” activity – and needs another form of visa.

Foreign Office officials and with Britain’s military attache to Guatamala were providing assistance to the men.

The six, from the Combined Services Caving Association were taking part in Exercise Cuetzalan Tiger, a mission designed to teach self reliance, endurance and leadership.

The military personnel were named as Sergeant John Roe of the RAF, Navy warrant officer Charles Milton, and from the Army, retired Army Major Jonathan Sims, Sergeant Chris Mitchell and Captain Toby Hamnett along with the single civilian caver Simon Cornhill.

They had been stuck in the water-logged caves since last Wednesday and had initially only planned to spend 36 hours below ground.

The men were part of a 13-strong group from the Combined Services Caving Association which began the expedition on Monday last week.

British cavers trapped in Mexico decline help

24.03.2004 1.26 pm

MEXICO CITY - Six British cave divers trapped for five days by rising water in central Mexico turned down local rescue offers on Tuesday, preferring to wait for aid from the British Royal Navy, authorities said.

The divers were in caverns near the town of Cuetzalan, 175km northeast of the Mexican capital when rains lifted underground water levels, trapping them.

Above ground, another six British cave divers have been in touch with their trapped colleagues via telephone, Civil Protection and Red Cross sources told Reuters, adding that they had declined all offers of assistance.

"Civil protection rescuers are at the scene, but the six Englishmen have refused all help as I imagine they don't trust in the abilities of the Mexican rescuers," Puebla Red Cross spokesman Jose Trinidad Luna Reyes said.

"They said they are awaiting the arrival of British navy specialists," Luna Reyes added.

It was not clear if the divers were in the cave for a scientific investigation or practicing caving as a sport or if they were British servicemen.

Civil Protection sources said the cavers were in good health and had food, but warned that the situation was dangerous.

"It has rained and the water level (underground) has risen a lot," said Jose Ignacio Macias, spokesman for the Civil Protection Agency in Puebla state where the cave is located.

A spokesman at the British Embassy in Mexico City was unable to confirm if the cavers were members of the armed forces, although he referred inquiries to a Ministry of Defence spokesman in London, who was not immediately available for comment.

The network of underground galleries is one of the most extensive in Latin America. It was first explored by British cavers in the 1970s, who have explored and surveyed more than 100km of passageways.

- REUTERS

[Rams82]

Interesting..

[GeronL]

WHAT??

If that were true, wouldn't we be sealing the border instead of negotiating to open them??

[EternalHope]

Hmmm....

Is uranium ever found in association with limestone? If not, how could you possibly look for it in caves?

[ChocChipCookie]

Veddy, veddy interesting. Let's face it. It's not like Mexico is the best organized country in the world. I imagine it would be easy for unsavory, swarthy men to bring in and then hide all kinds of things there.

[Destro]

Just some guys having some fun who can call on the Briish Royal Navy to rescue them when things go bad in a Mexican cave. Happens all the time.... Six British cave divers trapped for five days by rising water in central Mexico turned down local rescue offers on Tuesday, preferring to wait for aid from the British Royal Navy, authorities said.

[marron]

The odd thing was precisely that they were unwilling to be rescued by the Mexicans, they insisted on waiting for British divers to bring them out.

I saw a report that said they were members of a specialized unit involved in nuclear investigations, and that this unit supposedly engages in adventure training rather than military training. This is possible, I suppose, the Australian Army encourages its personnel to do "adventure travel", mountain climbing and trekking and the like, and will pay for it, seeing it as valuable experience in the absense of actual combat. (There's not much shortage of that, these days, of course).

The Brits apparently told the Mexicans that they were in no hurry to be rescued, they had food and supplies sufficient to stay under a couple of weeks, and it was unclear how long precisely they had been in there already.

But its the refusal to be rescued by anyone except a Brit navy diver that rings very strange.

[Destro]

My High School physics sucks but does not limestone gove off natural radiation? If I was hiding nuclear material - say ingredients for a dirty bomb or an actual nuclear bomb I would hide it in a limestone cave to mask the radiation from detection.

[Destro]

see #9

[eastforker]

If you was an American SF in Mexico training would you want Navy Seals rescuing you or Mexican trained military doing the Honors?

[Rokurota]

My High School physics sucks but does not limestone gove off natural radiation? If I was hiding nuclear material - say ingredients for a dirty bomb or an actual nuclear bomb I would hide it in a limestone cave to mask the radiation from detection.

Well just about anything gives off "some level" of radiation. But limestone is unlikely to give off anything significant. But it likely would be a good "shield" for some radiation.

[Auntie Dem]

But its the refusal to be rescued by anyone except a Brit navy diver that rings very strange.

Only a Brit navy diver would have tea and crumpets for their rescued lads. ;^)

[pepsionice]

I believe this team was installing a top secret listening device in the cave...to spy on the Mexican government. The Mexicans have been up to no good in the middle-east and possibly have weapons of mass destruction hidden. These WMD...could be a threat to the national security of the EU. //sarcasim off//

All things considered...its interesting you have US, Brit, French, German and Japanese military teams that run around the world doing "adventure training", but Mexico has probably never sent a single troop beyond Texas for any adventure training (The Alamo might be gauged as one of those "adventure" episodes).

[al baby]

Suv go of road?

[Travis McGee]

Paging Clive Cussler! Paging Dirk Pitt!

Actually you're 100% right Eastforker. Being "rescued" by a "crack team" of Mexicans could be fatal to your health. I'd wait for Brits or Americans to get on scene.

[Travis McGee]

Nuclear search team under sporting cover? If these guys are from RM Poole, Dorset, England..... !

[Dolphy]

But later the country’s president Vicente Fox said his government had demanded “clear information about what they were doing” only to receive answers which “frankly did not satisfy”.

What? Fox didn't offer them citizenship, health care, a job and retirement plan? I mean for crying out loud, these guys almost killed themselves just trying to get an opportunity to live the Mexican dream.

[sully777]

But they emerged from under the ground to face questions from [Mexican] immigration officials about their [illegal] visa status.

Who would have thunk it?

[montag813]

But they emerged from under the ground to face questions from [Mexican] immigration officials about their [illegal] visa status.

"Undocumented Divers"