The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday dismissed British media reports claiming that the uranium package seized at London’s Heathrow Airport came from Pakistan, saying the reports were “untrue”. are not based”.
A day earlier, British police said in a statement that a package arriving at Heathrow Airport last month was found to contain very small amounts of uranium, adding that it did not pose any direct threat to public health. There appears to be a connection.
Richard Smith, head of London Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command, said routine scanning on December 29 found the amount of radioactive material to be very low and experts assessed there was no risk.
Later, a report in The Sun claimed that the package originated in Pakistan before boarding an Oman Air passenger flight from Muscat. The consignment is understood to have been sent to a firm linked to Iran in the UK.
Responding to media queries on the issue, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “We have seen the media reports. We believe that the reports are not based on facts.
The official added that no information in this regard has been officially shared with him by the UK authorities.
‘No immediate threat’
Speaking to JEE News, a Scotland Yard spokesperson said: “We can confirm that officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were contacted by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow when a very small number of Contaminant material was identified in. UK on 29 December 2022.
Commander Richard Smith said: “I want to reassure the public that the amount of contaminated material was very small and experts have assessed that there is no risk to the public. Although our investigation is still ongoing, now From our inquiries, it does not appear to be related to any direct threat.
The official added that the agency will pursue all available lines of inquiry to ensure this happens.
“No arrests have been made at this time and officers continue to work with partner agencies to fully investigate this matter and ensure there is no risk to the public. Border Force agents identified the shipment as a radioactive substance. isolated in the room and, on finding that it was uranium, the counter-terrorism police were called.”
Hamish de Bretton Gordon, a former commander of Britain’s Nuclear Defense Regiment, said: “Uranium can release very toxic radiation. It can be used in a dirty bomb. The good news is that the system is working and it’s being banned.” has been installed.
