Global Policy Forum

By Richard Norton-Taylor

The US and Britain were accused yesterday of "callous disregard" for the health of Iraqis and the fate of radioactive substances near a looted nuclear site south of Baghdad. Iraqis living near the Tuwaitha facility are reported to have suffered nosebleeds, rashes and other symptoms of radiation poisoning.

Looters stole uranium storage barrels which local people later used as drinking water containers after Iraqi troops guarding the site fled at the start of the war. A team from Greenpeace handed American troops a large, abandoned canister of "yellow cake" - low-enriched uranium powder used as raw material for radioactive fuel.

In a ramshackle home it also discovered a metal container it said was giving off levels of radiation 10,000 times above normal. Another reading 3,000 times background levels was found outside a primary school.

Mike Townsley, head of the Greenpeace team, said UN nuclear experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency should be brought in to carry out a full survey of the area. "The people in this community are contaminated. The IAEA have been here for two weeks and they have only been allowed inside to count containers," he said. The US has prevented IAEA scientists from conducting a proper survey of the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Melanson, the US officer in charge of the radiation protection team for the American forces inside the Tuwaitha facility, said he would recommend that the IAEA and WHO get involved and carry out a health survey immediately.

Preventing the UN agencies from conducting as full survey was a political decision taken by the British and the Americans, Mr Townsley said. "Tony Blair, should be applying as much pressure as he can on George Bush to allow the IAEA to come in," he said.

He added: "I think at best it's callous disregard. We know there's radiation. We know people are suffering from nose bleeds and lethargy. It's common sense that there should be urgent action. It's what would happen in any other country. Why Iraq is different I don't know _ They managed to secure the oil industry."

After the Iraqi soldiers fled Tuwaitha, US troops in the area did not secure the site for several days, according to the Associated Press.

IAEA inspectors said on Sunday they had accounted for most of the missing uranium. US authorities deny there is a health risk to the population or to soldiers guarding the site.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.