French police make uranium arrests Sunday, 22 July 2001 8:06 (ET) French police make uranium arrests By ELIZABETH BRYANT PARIS, JULY 22 -- French police arrested three men last week who reportedly had a small quantity of enriched uranium, a material used in making nuclear weapons, Le Journal du Dimanche reported Sunday. It was apparently the first seizure of its kind in France. Most trafficking involves radioactive waste. Those arrested include Frenchman Serge Salfati, in his 30s, a small-time thief who recently finished serving a prison sentence. Salfati was arrested at the Place de la Nation, after police detected a "radioactive echo" emanating from a small truck. The truck's owner, Yves Ekwalla from Cameroon, was also arrested. Calls placed by United Press International to the Interior Ministry Sunday, to verify the report, went unanswered. According to the newspaper, police found a glass vial containing five grams of enriched uranium 235 wrapped inside a lead cylinder. French officials told the newspaper the quantity is far too small to make a nuclear bomb -- at least 30 kg is needed. But the amount may have been intended as a sample for potential buyers interested in larger quantities, Le Journal reported. A researcher at France's Atomic Energy Commission also told the newspaper the uranium likely came from a military source, rather than from a laboratory. A third man, Cameroon native Raymond Lobe, was later arrested at his apartment in the city's 17th arrondissement, the newspaper said. At Lobe's apartment, police found several airplane tickets with eastern European destinations. They also found several laboratory analyses for nuclear products, possibly written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. French judge Francoise Travaillot has apparently opened an investigation into the case. Some 32 seizures of illegal radioactive material have taken place since January, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Most were of non-military nuclear waste, being trafficked by petty criminals. Former Communist countries are considered the primary suppliers of the material. According to the United States government, suspect clients include Iran, Iraq, Libya and North Korea. In Spain, Richard Kelly Smith, a 71-year-old US national wanted by U.S. officials in Los Angeles for 15 offenses of dealing in nuclear weapons and forging documents, was arrested July 10 by members of the number one group of the organized crime unit in Malaga, the National Police said Saturday. -- Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved. -- THE END ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrHhl.bVKZIr Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
