Iraq Finds Missing Radioactive Material

'Highly dangerous' material found dumped near a gas station
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 21, 2016 8:29 AM CST
Iraq Finds Missing Radioactive Material
This file photo shows part of a seizure of radioactive substances including iridium-192 and europium-152.   (AP Photo/Georgia Interior Ministry)

In poor news for any would-be dirty-bombmakers in ISIS, Iraq says it has safely recovered the "highly dangerous" radioactive material that went missing days ago from the storage facility of a US oilfield services company, reports Reuters. The iridium-192, which was reportedly in a laptop-size case, was found dumped near a gas station about nine miles away from where it went missing in Basra. "A passer-by found the radioactive device dumped in Zubair and immediately informed security forces which went with a special prevention radiation team and retrieved the device," a Basra security official says. "After initial checking I can confirm the device is intact 100% and there is absolutely no concern of radiation." (More iridium stories.)

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