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#AceBreakingNews Deadly shipment of uranium seized at Heathrow en route to Iranians based in UK sparking terror probe
Counter – Terror police and security services are investigating after a deadly shipment of uranium was seized at Heathrow.
The undeclared nuclear material can be used in a dirty bomb.
It was destined for Iranian nationals in the UK, originated from Pakistanand arrived on a flight from Oman.
A source said: “The race is on to trace everyone involved.”
The package suspected of being smuggled to UK-based Iranians arrived in the hold of a passenger jet.
Specialist scanners detected the potentially-lethal uranium as it was ferried to a freight shed, triggering alarms.
Border Force agents swooped and isolated the unregistered shipment in a dedicated radioactive room.
Counter-terror police were alerted and a security probe launched into who sent the cargo.
It originated from Pakistan and arrived at Terminal 4 on an Oman Air jet from Muscat.
Cops were understood to be targeting an Iran-based firm with UK premises where the material was due to go to mystery recipients. No arrests have been made.
Officials will want to rule out any fears that a dirty bomb — a mixture of explosives with radioactive power — was being built here.
The suspected plot was smashed on December 29 and a Heathrow source told The Sun: “The race is on to trace everyone involved with this rogue non-manifested package.
“Security bosses are treating this with the seriousness it deserves. Protocol was not followed and this is now an anti-terror operation.
‘Very suspect’
“There are real concerns over what the Iranians living here wanted with non-disclosed nuclear material.”
Former commander of the UK’s nuclear defence regiment Hamish De Bretton-Gordon said: “For uranium to turn up on a commercial airliner from Pakistan to an Iranian address in the UK is very suspect.”
A former army chief has claimed the deadly shipment could have been used for a Litvinenko-style assassination plot.
Officials believe they have prevented any immediate threat to the public. They are being assisted by security services as they investigate the suspected plot.
Forensics teams have spent days poring over the shipment which was spotted as it was moved to a freight shed owned by handling firm Swissport.
Strict protocols must be followed to fly dangerous cargo, particularly on passenger flights.
Rules include uranium being loaded on to the base of units in the cargo hold — ensuring a minimum distance is kept between the nuclear material and cabin above.
Expert Mr De Bretton-Gordon added: “The nuclear threat has never been higher. Higher than it has ever been in the Cold War.
“The good news is the system worked and it has been interdicted. Uranium can give off very high levels of poisonous radiation. It could be used in a dirty bomb.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said Iran possesses more than 60kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, which puts it within reach of one atomic bomb.
Significant technical hurdles would then have to be overcome to construct a bomb small enough to fit on a missile. But the UK said that Iran was moving quickly on a potential weapon.
In 2015 Iran and six countries including the UK reached a deal to restrict Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
A year later when the IAEA declared Iran was living up to its end of the bargain, all nuclear-related inter-national sanctions were lifted.
But ex-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.
US allies, including the UK, have since been scrambling for a diplomatic solution.
Last night the Met Police said: “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 December 29.
“The material has been identified as being contaminated with uranium.”
Commander Richard Smith, head of the Met’s SO15 counter-terror branch, said: “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.
‘’Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far, it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat. As the public would expect, however, we will continue to follow up on all available lines of enquiry to ensure this is definitely the case.
“However, it does highlight the excellent capability we and our partners have in place to monitor our ports and borders in order to keep the public safe from any potential threats to their safety and security that might be coming into the UK.”
The Home Office said: “We do not comment on live investigations.”
Oman Air were contacted for comment. There is no indication the airline or Swissport is responsible for any wrongdoing.
Vital for making a bomb
MINED uranium has to be enriched to produce fuel for nuclear weapons and reactors.
Enrichment involves separating its isotopes — types of atom.
This is often done by spinning them rapidly in a centrifuge. Iran has several of these tube-shaped machines.
Uranium-235 is the isotope most commonly used in nuclear weapon blasts.
Depleted uranium is a by-product of enrichment and can be used to make armour-piercing ammo.
SUN NEWS REPORTERS:
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