The WorldPostradioactiveIraqiraq missing radioactive material

Missing Radioactive Material Found Undamaged In South Iraq

The discovery ends speculation that ISIS could have acquired it.
Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Radioactive material that went missing in Iraq has been found dumped near a petrol station in the southern town of Zubair, officials said on Sunday, ending speculation it could be acquired by Islamic State and used as a weapon.

The officials told Reuters the material, stored in a protective case the size of a laptop computer, was undamaged and there were no concerns about radiation.

Reuters reported last week that Iraq had been searching for the material since it was stolen in November from a storage facility belonging to U.S. oilfield services company Weatherford near the southern city of Basra.

It was not immediately clear how the device, owned by Swiss inspections group SGS, ended up in Zubair, around 15 km (9 miles) southwest of Basra.

"A passer-by found the radioactive device dumped in Zubair and immediately informed security forces which went with a special radiation prevention team and retrieved the device," the chief of the security panel within Basra provincial council, Jabbar al-Saidi, told Reuters.

"After initial checking I can confirm the device is intact 100 percent and there is absolutely no concern of radiation."

Open Image Modal
Radioactive material that went missing in Iraq last November has been found at a petrol station in southern Iraq, ending speculation that the self-described Islamic State could have acquired it.
HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI/AFP/Getty Images

A security official close to the investigation said it had been established soon after the material was stolen that it was being kept in Zubair and controls had been tightened to prevent it being taken out of the town.

"After failing to take it out of the town, the perpetrators decided to dump it," the security official said. "I assure you it is only a matter of time before we arrest those who stole the radioactive device."

The material, which uses gamma rays to test flaws in materials used for oil and gas pipelines in a process called industrial gamma radiography, is owned by Istanbul-based SGS Turkey, according to the document and officials.

The material is classed as a Category 2 radioactive source by the IAEA, meaning that if not managed properly it could cause permanent injury to a person in close proximity to it for minutes or hours, and could be fatal to someone exposed for a period of hours to days.

SGS and Weatherford have both denied responsibility for the disappearance of the material last year.

 

Also on HuffPost:

Fighting In Iraq
(01 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Monday, March 30, 2015 file photo Iraqi security forces launch a rocket against Islamic State extremist positions during clashes in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(02 of11)
Open Image Modal
This Monday, March 30, 2015 file photo shows an injured Iraqi officer waiting for treatment on the front line during clashes with Islamic State extremists in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(03 of11)
Open Image Modal
This Monday, March 30, 2015 file photo shows a member of the Iraqi security forces running to plant the national flag as they surround Tikrit during clashes to regain the city from Islamic State militants, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Thursday, April 2, 2015 file photo, Iraqi security forces deploy in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq, a day after Iraqi security forces backed by Shiite militiamen took control of the city from Islamic State militants. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Monday, March 30, 2015 file photo, Iraqi security forces attack Islamic State extremists as they take up positions next to the bodies of Islamic State fighters in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(06 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Sunday, March 31, 2015 file photo, Iraqi security forces launch rockets against Islamic State extremist positions in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(07 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Friday, April 3, 2015 file photo, an Iraqi soldier plays his guitar atop his armored vehicle on the main road between Baghdad and Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(08 of11)
Open Image Modal
In this Monday, March 30, 2015 file photo, an Iraqi officer shouts orders as they attack Islamic State extremists Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(09 of11)
Open Image Modal
Iraqi security forces chant slogans against the Islamic State group after opening the main gate of their base that was closed for months in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, April 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(10 of11)
Open Image Modal
Iraqi security forces celebrate as they drive on the main road between Baghdad and Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, April 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(11 of11)
Open Image Modal
Shiite militiamen celebrate at one of Saddam Hussein's palaces in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, April 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip