UN: Traces of Plutonium Found in Egypt.

Little Green Footballs ^ | November 5, 2004

[dmartin]

VIENNA, Austria - U.N. experts have found traces of plutonium near an Egyptian nuclear facility and are investigating whether it could be weapons-related or simply a byproduct of the country’s peaceful atomic activities, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.

The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned against assuming that Egypt might have contravened the Nonproliferation Treaty by trying to separate plutonium, a substance used in nuclear weapons. The traces could be from a cracked research reactor fuel element or have other origins that have nothing to do with weapons research, they said.

“From time to time, these things pop up in places they should not be at,” said a diplomat familiar with the investigations of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. “Most of the time, there is a reasonable answer.”

[rdl6989]

The traces could be from a cracked research reactor fuel element or have other origins that have nothing to do with weapons research, they said.

Uh-huh. I believe ya. Sure! < /sarcasm>

[StJacques]

Maybe Muhammad El Baradei left a suitcase at home with his personal stash.

[JustPiper]

BTTT!

[e_engineer]

Since they don't specify how much Pu was found, we can probably assume that they found a discarded research isotope. Probably a few micrograms of Pu designed for use as a calibrator.

Our government labs sell research isotopes like this all the time, and it is really no big deal unless you ingest the stuff: http://www.ornl.gov/sci/isotopes/r_pu242.html

Until we get more info, this should be regarded as a non-story.

[fire_eye]

USA: Traces of brains found at UN.

[American in Israel]

“From time to time, these things pop up in places they should not be at,” said a diplomat familiar with the investigations

Yes, and it seems always in Islamic Nations. Pure Co-inky-dink I am sure.