Uranium Detected in Package at UK’s Heathrow Airport

By Staff, Agencies

British border force officers at Heathrow seized material contaminated with uranium last month, and counter-terrorism police are investigating.

The Metropolitan Police said its counter-terrorism command unit was contacted by Border Force colleagues at the airport after the contaminated material was discovered on 29 December.

Counter-terror commander Richard Smith said the amount of contaminated material “was extremely small” and has been assessed by experts as posing no threat to the public.

“The package was destined for Iranian nationals in the UK and arrived on a flight from Oman after originating in Pakistan,” according to The Sun.

Smith added: “Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far, it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat.”

“As the public would expect, however, we will continue to follow up on all available lines of enquiry to ensure this is definitely the case.

Former head of the British Army's chemical weapons unit, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, told Sky News that it was “a concern” that the material has apparently reached the UK, having come all the way from Pakistan, but that he did not think the public should be overly worried.

He added: “I think it's excellent that the police and others have interdicted this and made it safe, but we must be on our guard because there are bad people out there who want to do us harm in this particular manner.”