Russia has admitted that customs officials thwarted more than 120 attempts to smuggle "highly radioactive" material out of the country last year. The disclosure is likely to fuel concern about how many illegal exports were not halted. It will also lead to new fears that Moscow has failed to stop material becoming available on the black market that could be used by terrorists to make radioactive "dirty" bombs.
A further 722 cases of illegal importing of highly radio-active material into Russia were detected - possible evidence of a dangerous trade between ex-Soviet states. The figures come as Britain continues to demand the extradition of the Russian MP Andrei Lugovoi for allegedly poisoning the former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London in November 2006.
British sources indicate that this polonium originated at a Russian state facility. But Nikolai Kravchenko, of the Russian customs service, said: "Industrial shipments of this substance are being exported from Russia legally."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/03/wrussia103.xml
25 militants killed in S Waziristan
Thursday, January 03, 2008
PESHAWAR: At least 25 militants have been killed in two days of fighting between security forces and the Taliban in South Waziristan, officials said on Wednesday. Military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said the Frontier Corps (FC) had ceased fire on the request of a local jirga.
Arshad said four FC personnel, who were kidnapped in the Luddha area on Tuesday, had not been recovered so far, adding that 30 to 35 suspects had been taken into custody in this connection. A curfew has been imposed in Parachinar as clashes between Sunni and Shia groups, NNI reported.
An army Cobra gunship helicopter crash-landed near Thal, Parachinar, due to a technical malfunction on Wednesday, an ISPR statement said. The pilot and co-pilot were safe.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008/01/03/story_3-1-2008_pg1_10
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=eta
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Note: photo included.
http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_14395.shtml
“ETA claims two latest bomb attacks in the Basque Country”
By m.p. - Jan 2, 2008 - 1:36 PM