IRAQ: U.S. ARMY AND IRAQI ENVIRONMENTAL WORKERS ARE TRYING TO CLOSE OFF AN AREA INSIDE A NUCLEAR AGENCY IN BAGHDAD AFTER LOOTERS STOLE BARRELS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Record ID: 646536

  • Title: IRAQ: U.S. ARMY AND IRAQI ENVIRONMENTAL WORKERS ARE TRYING TO CLOSE OFF AN AREA INSIDE A NUCLEAR AGENCY IN BAGHDAD AFTER LOOTERS STOLE BARRELS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE
  • Date: 31st May 2003
  • Summary: (EU) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MAY 31, 2003)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN FROM THE VILLAGE TO IRAQI NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY COMPOUND HOLDING SUSPECTED RADIOACTIVE WASTE 0.08 2. SLV WORKERS BLOCKING GATE 0.12 3. SLV PHYSICISTS MONITORING WORK 0.17 4. PAN U.S. SOLDIER GUARDING AREA 0.23 5. LV/SLV OF COMPOUND WITH BARRELS SUSPECTED TO BE RADIOACTIVE WASTE (3 SHOTS) 0.35 6. MCU (Arabic) THAMER SOUD, RESIDENT, SAYING: "What happened is that the neighbouring villagers managed to get inside (the compound) and stole barrels. Then they returned about 100 barrels but they still have some more." 0.48 7. LV/SLV OF PERSONS WALKING IN VILLAGE OPPOSITE COMPOUND (2 SHOTS) 0.57 8. SLV BARREL BEHIND BARBED WIRES 1.01 9. LV OF WORKERS BLOCKING GATE 1.06 10. SLV WORKERS 1.10 11. MCU (Arabic) KAMAL KAREEM AL-KUBAISI, SAYING: "We measured the background of the radiation intensity for this site around the compound, and the result was normal and within the limits. So we advised the construction officials to block up the gates to prevent the looters entering inside." 1.29 12. CU ENGINEER HOLDING A MACHINE TO MEASURE RADIATION 1.33 13. SV/SLV OF PHYSICISTS WALKING OUTSIDE (2 SHOTS) 1.41 14. SLV TWO BLOCKED WINDOWS 1.45 15. SLV FAMILY WHOSE BABY WAS AFFECTED BY THE RADIOACTIVE WASTE AFTER THE MOTHER USED A BARREL FROM THE NUCLEAR COMPOUND TO WASH THE CHILD'S CLOTHES 1.50 16. CU GIRL'S FACE 1.55 17. SV/CU BABY WITH RASH ON HIS BACK (2 SHOTS) 2.05 18. MCU (Arabic) HAMIDA, MOTHER OF AFFECTED BABY SAYING: "I was informed that the barrel was clean so I washed the baby's clothes in it...No, no mother I did, I have to tell them." 2.13 19. LV FAMILY STANDING OUTSIDE THE HOUSE 2.17 20. MCU RESIDENTS WATCHING 2.21 21. SV BOY, FOUAD SALMAN, TALKING WITH A MAN 2.27 22. MCU (Arabic) FOUAD SALMAN, LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING: "They (the Americans) came here saying that they will pay money to those who would return the barrels, and when the residents heard this, they started giving back the barrels to get money (dollars)." 2.37 23. PAN FROM THE VILLAGE TO NUCLEAR COMPOUND 2.46 24. LV U.S. TANK PROTECTING THE NUCLEAR AGENCY FROM LOOTERS 2.49 25. LV OF TANKS 2.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 15th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAC77AXKPS4O83OUBBR1LTJR4UM
  • Story Text: U.S. army and Iraqi environmental workers are trying to
    close off an area inside a nuclear energy agency in Baghdad
    after looters stole barrels of radioactive waste to use for
    food and water storage, harming children and adults from a
    neighbouring village.




    A United States (U.S.) task force recovered some looted
    barrels once used to store processed uranium at the Iraqi
    Nuclear Energy Agency, but does not know how many more are
    missing, its commanders said on Saturday (May 31).

    International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, who
    left Iraq just before the U.S.-led invasion begun on March 20,
    are due back next week to investigate looting at the compound.

    After the Saddam Hussein's overthrow on April 9, looters
    made off with barrels likely to have been contaminated with
    traces of the "yellow cake" uranium they had held at the Iraqi
    Nuclear Agency's sprawling compound south of Baghdad.

    Lieutenant Colonel Brent Bredehoft, head of the U.S.

    taskforce, said the looters had dumped the cake inside a waste
    disposal facility within the compound and taken the barrels.

    A research centre possibly containing radioactive isotopes
    was also looted, Bredehoft said.

    Iraqis living in the nearby Madaen district bought them
    for household use for about $2 (U.S.) each.

    "What happened is that the neighbouring villagers managed
    to get inside and steal barrels. Then they returned about 100
    barrels but they still have some more," said Thamer Soud, a
    resident of the area.

    Iraqis said U.S. forces then bought them back for $3
    (U.S.) a few days ago.

    Iraqi workers sealed windows of the waste disposal
    building and secured the fence while Iraqi and U.S. experts
    examined the nuclear waste building with radiation detectors.

    "We measured the background of the radiation intensity for
    this site around the compound, and the result was normal and
    within the limits. So we advised the construction officials to
    block up the gates to prevent the looters entering inside,"
    said Kamal Kareem al-Kubaisi.

    But Madaen residents spoke of mysterious illnesses in the
    district, where medical facilities are basic.

    Fouad Salman, a three-month-old baby, had lumps on his
    head and scars resembling burns on his back which
    his mother said he had developed after wearing clothes washed
    in one of the blue barrels that had contained
    yellow cake.

    "I was informed that the barrel was clean so I washed the
    baby's clothes in it," the mother said, cradling her infant.

    Muhsen Aboud, a resident who is organising community
    protests about the alleged contamination, told Reuters some
    families had used the barrels to store pickles.

    U.S. forces took the compound while closing in on Baghdad
    from the south nearly two months ago.

    But looters were still dismantling bricks from one
    building on Saturday and stealing concrete columns holding up
    the outer fence.



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