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Pakistan-linked uranium-tainted cargo seized at UK's Heathrow airport: Report
A routine screening of the package found “a very small amount of contaminated material", which experts have reportedly assessed as "posing no threat to the public.”
A major counter-terrorism probe has been launched after a shipment containing Uranium was seized at United Kingdom's Heathrow Airport. Reports said the package – addressed to an Iranian-linked firm in the UK – is likely to have originated in Pakistan and arrived on a flight from Oman.
Uranium is widely used to produce nuclear energy and is generally seen as deadly. However, a routine screening of the package found “a very small amount of contaminated material", which experts have reportedly assessed as "posing no threat to the public.” The uranium was 'not weapons-grade' - and so could not be used to manufacture a thermo-nuclear weapon, reports said.
The matter is under investigation and no arrests have been made so far.
"We can confirm officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command were contacted by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow after a very small amount of contaminated material was identified after routine screening within a package incoming to the UK on 29 December 2022," the police was quoted as telling MailOnline, a local media agency.
"I want to reassure the public that the amount of contaminated material was extremely small and has been assessed by experts as posing no threat to the public," Commander Richard Smith said, according to Dailymail Online.
"Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far, it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat. However, we will continue to follow up on all available lines of enquiry to ensure this is definitely the case," the commander said.
(With agency inputs)
