London, England, Jun. 28 (UPI)Iraq and four other countries were attempting to purchase uranium from Niger as far back as 1999, European intelligence officials told the Financial Times.
The unidentified sources told the newspaper illicit sales were being negotiated at least three years before last year's U.S.-led invasion.
They said between 1999 and 2001, uranium smugglers planned to sell the ore or refined ore called yellow cake, to Iran, Libya, China, North Korea and Iraq.
An official said meetings between Niger officials and would-be buyers from the five countries were held in several European countries. Intelligence officers were convinced that the uranium would be smuggled from abandoned mines in Niger, circumventing official export controls.
In Wilson's defense, unless he was drinking tea with smugglers, he would not have known about this. But the fact remains.