Iraq told the United Nations in a July 8 letter seen by Reuters that "terrorist groups" had seized nuclear materials used for scientific research at a university in the country`s north.
Vienna: The UN atomic agency said on Thursday it believed nuclear material Iraq said had been seized by insurgents was "low grade" and did not pose a significant security risk.
Iraq told the United Nations in a July 8 letter seen by Reuters that "terrorist groups" had seized nuclear materials used for scientific research at a university in the country`s north. It appealed for help to "stave off the threat of their use by terrorists in Iraq or abroad".
The International Atomic Energy Agency "is aware of the notification from Iraq and is in contact to seek further details," IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said.
"On the basis of the initial information we believe the material involved is low grade and would not present a significant safety, security or nuclear proliferation risk."
"Nevertheless, any loss of regulatory control over nuclear and other radioactive materials is a cause for concern," Tudor said.
Iraq`s UN Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the letter that nearly 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of uranium compounds were kept at Mosul University.
"Terrorist groups have seized control of nuclear material at the sites that came out of the control of the state," Alhakim wrote, adding that such materials "can be used in manufacturing weapons of mass destruction."
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.