U.K. Police Arrest Man After Discovering Uranium On Package At Heathrow Airport

Topline

Police in London arrested a man on suspicion of terrorist activity after traces of uranium were discovered on a package that arrived at Heathrow airport from Oman in December, officials from Scotland Yard said Sunday, adding that there is no active threat to the public.

Key Facts

The suspect, a man in his 60s, was arrested in Cheshire in northwest England on Saturday and has been released on bail, the Metropolitan Police Service said Sunday.

The man was arrested under Section 9 of the Terrorism Act of 2006, which makes it a crime to possess radioactive materials with the intent of using it for terrorism purposes.

Police said a “very small amount” of uranium was discovered on a cargo package by Border Force during a routine screening in December.

Certain types of uranium can be used to make radiation-spreading “dirty bombs,” but Sunday’s statement didn’t specify the uranium’s intended use, and some experts told the Telegraph the uranium found last month is likely too bulky and inefficient to be practical for bomb-making.

Met Counter Terrorism Commander Richard Smith said there appears to be no direct threat to the public.

Crucial Quote

“The discovery of what was a very small amount of uranium within a package at Heathrow Airport is clearly of concern, but it shows the effectiveness of the procedures and checks in place with our partners to detect this type of material,” Smith said, adding “there is no linked direct threat to the public.”

Key Background

The Metropolitan Police Service announced last week it had launched an investigation after scanning equipment detected the uranium in a package of scrap metal headed for a freight shed. The package, which originated in Pakistan, was flown to Heathrow in the cargo area of an Oman Air jet arriving from Muscat, according to the Guardian, which reported the package was headed to a U.K.-based Iranian business. The Pakistani government has denied that the shipment originally came from Pakistan.

Further Reading

Man arrested on suspicion of terror offence after Heathrow uranium seizure (The Guardian)

Counter-terrorism police investigate after uranium seized at Heathrow (The Guardian)