Iraq: nuclear looting

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

There seems to be a lot of evidence emerging that strongly suggests a
deliberate policy by the US that as much looting as possible should have
been allowed to take place, with the exception of a few key strategic sites.
Has there been any attempt to collate and analyse this evidence? Here is yet
another alarming story...


Greenpeace blames US and UK for pollution from looted nuclear site

Richard Norton-Taylor
Wednesday June 25, 2003
The Guardian

The US and Britain were accused yesterday of "callous disregard" for the
health of Iraqis and the fate of radioactive substances near a looted
nuclear site south of Baghdad.

Iraqis living near the Tuwaitha facility are reported to have suffered
nosebleeds, rashes and other symptoms of radiation poisoning.

Looters stole uranium storage barrels which local people later used as
drinking water containers after Iraqi troops guarding the site fled at the
start of the war.

A team from Greenpeace handed American troops a large, abandoned canister of
"yellow cake" - low-enriched uranium powder used as raw material for
radioactive fuel.

In a ramshackle home it also discovered a metal container it said was giving
off levels of radiation 10,000 times above normal. Another reading 3,000
times background levels was found outside a primary school.

Mike Townsley, head of the Greenpeace team, said UN nuclear experts from the
International Atomic Energy Agency should be brought in to carry out a full
survey of the area.

"The people in this community are contaminated. The IAEA have been here for
two weeks and they have only been allowed inside to count containers," he
said. The US has prevented IAEA scientists from conducting a proper survey
of the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Melanson, the US officer in charge of the radiation
protection team for the American forces inside the Tuwaitha facility, said
he would recommend that the IAEA and WHO get involved and carry out a health
survey immediately.

Preventing the UN agencies from conducting as full survey was a political
decision taken by the British and the Americans, Mr Townsley said. "Tony
Blair, should be applying as much pressure as he can on George Bush to allow
the IAEA to come in," he said.

He added: "I think at best it's callous disregard. We know there's
radiation. We know people are suffering from nose bleeds and lethargy. It's
common sense that there should be urgent action. It's what would happen in
any other country. Why Iraq is different I don't know _ They managed to
secure the oil industry."

After the Iraqi soldiers fled Tuwaitha, US troops in the area did not secure
the site for several days, according to the Associated Press.

IAEA inspectors said on Sunday they had accounted for most of the missing
uranium. US authorities deny there is a health risk to the population or to
soldiers guarding the site.