Turkish Police Seize Weapons-Grade Uranium!

Reuters ^ | September 28, 2002 10:24 AM ET | Reuters

[SunStar]

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish paramilitary police have seized more than 33 pounds of weapons-grade uranium and detained two men accused of smuggling the material, the state-run Anatolian news agency said on Saturday.

Officers in the southern province of Sanliurfa, which borders Syria and is about 155 miles from the Iraqi border, were acting on a tip-off when they stopped a taxi cab and discovered the uranium in a lead container hidden beneath the vehicle's seat, the agency said.

The incident happens at a time of mounting speculation the United States could launch a military attack on neighboring Iraq for its alleged program of weapons of mass destruction.

U.S. President George Bush has accused Baghdad of clandestine efforts to develop a nuclear bomb as his administration works to build international support for an operation to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Officials at Ankara's Atomic Energy Institute would not confirm they had been notified about the material, which Anatolia had reported.

"Our investigation on whether the uranium was destined for a neighboring country is continuing," a Sanliurfa police official was quoted as saying by Anatolian.

Police officials in Sanliurfa and Ankara declined to comment on the case.

Authorities believe the uranium came from an east European country and has a value of about $5 million, Anatolian said.

It was not immediately clear when the operation was carried out. Anatolian only gave the first names of the suspects, which appeared to be Turkish.

Smugglers use Turkey's porous eastern border to import drugs, and hundreds of thousands of migrants each year illegally cross the rugged frontier on their way to more affluent European Union nations.

Police in Istanbul seized more than 2.2 pounds of weapons-grade uranium last November that had been smuggled into Turkey from an east European nation. The smugglers were detained after attempting to sell the material to undercover police officers.

[SunStar]

Captured weapons-grade uranium weighing more than 33 pounds is on display at the paramilitary police headquarters of southeast province of Sanliurfa, Turkey, September 28, 2002. Turkish gendarmes seized the uranium and detained two men accused of smuggling the material, Anatolian Agency said. Authorities believe the uranium came from an eastern European country and has a value about $5 million. (Photo by Anatolian/Reuters)

[SunStar]

Notice the "Made In Germany" stamp on the side...

[SBeck]

That's the casing, not the material.

[AdvisorB]

The Democrats think their real enemy, the CIA,
masterminded this hoax to give Dubya a reason
to bomb Iraq, and replace saddam. Of course,
the Democrats will want to see the proof, weigh the
evidence, and have the smuggler's confessions
subjected to voice testing by the FBI crime lab,
before they make up their minds.

[ClearCase_guy]

Well, uh, I think that, uh, over the next few months, we should, uh, begin selecting a panel -- a blue-ribbon panel, mind you -- that could, uh, develop a plan which we could then implement over the course of, say, the next year or two. The purpose of this plan would be to, uh, monitor the situation in Iraq, so that we could, uh, determine whether in fact Saddam Hussein is a threat to other nations.

[Bruce Buckley]

I'm with the Democrats. Let's wait until we're nuked.

[Cold Heat]

Casing, material, what's the difference?

The Euro trash has been compromising the U.S. efforts to prevent the spead of WMD.

Their business dealings with the countries on the list of terrorist states is legendary and continuing.

[COBOL2Java]

Of course, the Democrats will want to see the proof

Hey, I'm all for laying 33 pounds of uranium on Tiny Tom's lap. Heck, I may even chip in for a lead apron for the little guy. Or perhaps we can borrow one from a pediatrician...

[Grut]

Notice the "Made In Germany" stamp on the side...

In English, too! Can we say "Baby Milk Factory?"

[Iwentsouth]

They milk babies in Germany?

I just get this picture in my head of Robert Deniro asking Ben Stiller to milk him!

[alloysteel]

Obviously, no support for terrorism out there. It does not matter how many times a smoking gun is found, it is always "manufactured" evidence. 33 pounds (15 Kilograms) of weapons-grade uranium is more than enough to build an "Hiroshima"-sized atomic weapon.

I would expect the weapons-grade uranium would be just about sending the radiation detectors right off the top end of the scale.

[gdc61]

obviously headed for Iraq and as damning as this is , it seems to be getting no play on the news channels. the exact proof all the doubting dumDems have been asking for. will they get smart and fall in line like they should ? don't hold your breath.

[cpdiii]

The Democrats think their real enemy, the CIA, masterminded this hoax to give Dubya a reason to bomb Iraq, and replace saddam. Of course, the Democrats will want to see the proof, weigh the evidence, and have the smuggler's confessions subjected to voice testing by the FBI crime lab, before they make up their minds.

Insert in Tiny Toms Clymer and if he glows it is weapons grade.

[gdc61]

are you related to william F.?

[piasa]

Of course, the Democrats will want to see the proof, weigh the evidence

Let 'em if they want to- they can see it much better if they remove the shielding. And they might just be stupid enough to do it.

Too bad they weren't just as eager to see the roomful of evidence on Clinton some years back.

[Bernard Marx]

In English, too! Can we say "Baby Milk Factory?"

Not so sure...there's printing on the other side, too, that looks like it might be in another language. I can't quite make it out. Can anyone?

[cpdiii]

If this is real (and I suspect it is) it is not probable that this is the first shipment. Our President knows this and is pushing the Congress to act. Each day that passes is one more day that Saddam has to build a nuclear bomb or even add more bombs to those he has made. If this is real we must strike and strike now.

Each day that Tom Daschle delays the President will cost additonal American Blood. Tom Daschle is blinded by his quest for personal power. Tom Dashcle's actions will cost our country lives and treasure.

This is my question to Tom Dashcle:

Are you willing to lose New York
Los Angeles
New Orleans
Washington DC
London
Tel Aviv

[who knows what evil?]

Daschle isn't worried about losing anything save his position as Majority Leader in the U. S. Senate.

[putupon]

I wonder how many can fit on the head on a Loral design ICBM?

[AntiDemocrat]

Dear Gerhard Schroeder,

Now we know why you and your administration hate America so much.
Now we also know why you refused to commit any German troops to a war to disarm Iraq. Smart thinking on your part...you marxist pig!

Were you planning on killing Americans with your 33 lbs of weapon-grade uranium??