ISIS Suspected Of Stealing Radioactive Materials From Iraq

0
417

ISIS militants are suspected to have obtained radioactive material that could be used as a weapon against the West.

The Iraqi government is searching for the stolen material, which is usually stored in a protective case.

The material is said to have belonged to a US oilfield company to test flaws in materials in oil and gas pipelines.

Authorities fear that it could be used to make a ‘dirty bomb’, a device that combines nuclear material with explosives to contaminate an area.

A spokesperson for Iraq’s environment ministry said he would not discuss the issue.

One Iraqi security source said: “We are afraid the radioactive element will fall into the hands of Daesh. They could simply attach it to explosives to make a dirty bomb.”

 

9c141ae01c184ee769a664356fb3d922

The material was taken from a warehouse belonging to the US-based oil company Weatherford outside of an ISIS controlled area.

The theft was only discovered after an Iraqi government document discussing the potential consequences of the material leaking came to light.

The ministry document added that the material, which is deadly to humans, posed a risk of bodily and environmental harm as well as a national security threat.

More: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-radiation-idUSKCN0VQ22F?utm_source=twitter

Facebook Comments