Suspected uranium found in Libyan city
- 13 years ago
Exclusive Reuters video recorded on Sunday shows blue drums filled with suspected raw uranium in an abandoned complex in Southern Libya.
The complex found outside of the desert city of Sabha was once controlled by Gaddafi's regime.
Inside the warehouses, blue drums - many marked "radioactive" - were stacked up to the ceiling - alongside gas masks, protective clothing and bags of yellow powder.
Mohammed al-Ajili is a nuclear engineer who toured the site.
(SOUNDBITE) Mohammed al-Ajili, nuclear engineer, Libyan Radiation Protection Society:
"The store in front of us contains natural uranium, which of course is one of the stages towards making uranium. It is not enriched. This uranium contains a maximum concentration of 238."
On Thursday, the U.N.'s atomic agency had said that the Gaddafi regime stored raw uranium near Sabha.
Libya's National Transitional Council also has said its forces had found suspected internationally banned weapons in the area, but gave no details about them.
Meanwhile, crowds cheered after rebel fighters entered Sabha on Saturday - and destroyed Muammar Gaddafi's childhood home and a statue of the former leader.
Libya's new government said it was increasing its hold in southern Libyan towns in the area that had sided with Gaddafi.
Many Gaddafi loyalist had been held up in the area since the fall of Tripoli in August.
Sarah Irwin, Reuters.
The complex found outside of the desert city of Sabha was once controlled by Gaddafi's regime.
Inside the warehouses, blue drums - many marked "radioactive" - were stacked up to the ceiling - alongside gas masks, protective clothing and bags of yellow powder.
Mohammed al-Ajili is a nuclear engineer who toured the site.
(SOUNDBITE) Mohammed al-Ajili, nuclear engineer, Libyan Radiation Protection Society:
"The store in front of us contains natural uranium, which of course is one of the stages towards making uranium. It is not enriched. This uranium contains a maximum concentration of 238."
On Thursday, the U.N.'s atomic agency had said that the Gaddafi regime stored raw uranium near Sabha.
Libya's National Transitional Council also has said its forces had found suspected internationally banned weapons in the area, but gave no details about them.
Meanwhile, crowds cheered after rebel fighters entered Sabha on Saturday - and destroyed Muammar Gaddafi's childhood home and a statue of the former leader.
Libya's new government said it was increasing its hold in southern Libyan towns in the area that had sided with Gaddafi.
Many Gaddafi loyalist had been held up in the area since the fall of Tripoli in August.
Sarah Irwin, Reuters.