Last month, uranium-contaminated metal was found at London’s Heathrow Airport, prompting a police investigation.
The Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police responded to the security alert that was activated on December 29.
The uranium originated in Pakistan, according to The Sun, which broke the news.
One line of inquiry is whether it was the result of “bad handling” in the country. According to police, there was no threat to the public.
It was discovered in a consignment of scrap metal, according to a source.
A former leader of the United Kingdom’s armed forces stated that “a very little sample” was discovered and that “people are watching out for this 24 hours a day.”
The incident, according to Colonel Hamish De Bretton-Gordon, “should not alarm the public.”
Uranium cargo alerted
However, he told that he could see why the public was anxious in light of recent nuclear threats.
He stated that uranium might be utilized as nuclear fuel in power plants and, when highly enriched, as a material for nuclear weapons.
The Sun reported that alarms were activated at Heathrow after specialized scanners spotted the drug as it was being transported to a freight yard owned by Swissport.
The destination of the package is unclear. No arrests have been made.
The Metropolitan Police stated, “We can confirm that officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were called by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow after routine screening revealed a tiny amount of hazardous substance within an inbound box.”
Commander Richard Smith of the force’s counter-terrorism squad separately told. “Although our investigation is ongoing, it does not appear to be linked to a direct threat based on our first findings.
As the public would anticipate, we will continue to investigate all relevant avenues to confirm that this is indeed the case.
To transport hazardous cargo, such as uranium, strict processes must be followed, including loading the cargo onto the base of units in the cargo hold and maintaining a minimum distance between the radioactive material and the cabin above.
Highly enriched uranium is utilized in research reactors
Uranium is a naturally occurring element. Once refined or enriched, it can be utilized for nuclear applications. This is accomplished using centrifuges, which are machines that spin at supersonic speeds.
Low-enriched uranium can be used to create fuel for nuclear power reactors in the commercial sector.
Highly enriched uranium is utilized in research reactors and has a purity of at least 20%. Plus ninety percent of the uranium in weapons-grade uranium is enriched.
Steve Barclay, a cabinet member, said he hoped for further information in “due course”. And that it was appropriate that an investigation “look at all the concerns.”
This morning, he told, “I’m learning about this.”
The Home Office stated that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
