Cablegate: Possible Nuclear Smuggling Incident/Offer Of

VZCZCXYZ0014
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLO #4311 3250854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210854Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6364

UNCLAS LONDON 004311

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KCRM KNNP MNUC PARM PREL PTER UK
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE NUCLEAR SMUGGLING INCIDENT/OFFER OF
NUCLEAR OR OTHER RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

REF: SECSTATE 06 163201

1. (SBU) Post wishes to alert the Department and Washington agencies per reftel that it has received a report indicating a potential incident of illicit trafficking in and possible offer of nuclear and/or radiological materials. This report came to post's attention via call-in and email. Information concerning this report was relayed telephonically to PMAT at 0715 GMT on 11/21/07.

2. (SBU) Details of the incident follow:
A) The current location of the material: reportedly in the Philippines
B) Transport status of the material: unknown
C) Assessment of the likelihood that the appropriate authorities can/will secure the material: UK and Philippine authorities have not yet been notified.
D) If in transit, means of transport: unknown if in transit
E) Intended destination of material: unknown
F) Routing of material: unknown
G) Supplier and/or origination point of material: unknown
H) Type of material: reportedly Uranium
I) Date and time of incident: phone message received at approximately 1100 hours GMT on 11/20/07; call-in received at approximately 1200 hours GMT on 11/20/07; email with photos received at approximately 1700 hours on 11/20/07.
J) Source of report: 2 call-ins, followed up with an email.
K) If an alarm, type: N/A
L) What else, if anything was being smuggled with the material: N/A
M) Specific place where alarm or incident occurred: N/A
N) Additional details: At approximately 1100 hours GMT on 11/20/07, a phone message was received by Post's Foreign Service National Investigator (FSNI) Unit from a male stating he had information in regard to the sale of Uranium that formerly belonged to the US. He also stated he had previously sent faxes to the Embassy and the CIA, but as yet had not received a response. The source left a contact phone number of: xxxxxxxxxxxx(UK number). At approximately 1200 hours GMT on 11/20/07, the FSNI unit received a phone call from subject, xxxxxxxxxxxx, stating he had worked with divers in the Philippines previously and was recently contacted by them with information that they had found 5-6 Uranium "bricks" at the sight of an underwater wreck. xxxxxxxxxxxx stated his contacts expressed a desire to sell the "bricks" for profit. At approximately 1700 hours GMT on 11/20/07, an unclassified email was received to the RSO Investigation Unit's mail box from xxxxxxxxxxxx at xxxxxxxxxxxx, Attached to the email were 9 photos of the substance in question.

3. (SBU) Action officer at post for handling incident is ARSO Victoria Anzaldua, reachable via 011-xxxxxxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxxxx and/or xxxxxxxxxxxx. Visit London's Classified Website: xxxxxxxxxxxx. cfm
Tuttle

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