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Illicit uranium trade suspected in Finnish factory

many inconsistencies which seem to point to the existence of illegal trade in uranium, according to the cable. However, the cable stresses that most evidence is circumstantial and inconclusive……

Wikileaks: Finnish Factory Suspected of Illicit Uranium Trade YLE Uutiset , 22 Dec 10, The whistleblowing website Wikileaks has published a cable by the US embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) implicating Finland-based OMG Kokkola Chemicals in uranium trafficking.The cable details the operations of the Belgian-owned Malta Forest Company, from which OMG Kokkola Chemicals would later buy raw materials.

The Malta Forest Company allegedly used its mining of copper and cobalt to cover up the mining of uranium. According to claims referenced in the cable, the levels of radiation at the company’s mining sites were dangerously high, pointing to a high concentration of uranium. The Mining Company of South Katanga, predominantly owned by the Malta Forest Company, managed to conceal it, “circumventing radiation testing by using an established system of corrupt government officials.”

The Malta Forest Company then exported the uranified ore from which copper, cobalt and uranium could be extracted. According to the cable, the Malta Forest Company could be seen as exporting copper and cobalt alone, while in actual fact uranium was exported as well.

As possible proof that such dealings were taking place, the cable says that OMG Kokkola Chemicals reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it had imported one ton of uranium from the DRC in 2006. Meanwhile, the DRC claimed that no uranium at all had been exported that year.

This is one of the many inconsistencies which seem to point to the existence of illegal trade in uranium, according to the cable. However, the cable stresses that most evidence is circumstantial and inconclusive……

Wikileaks: Finnish Factory Suspected of Illicit Uranium Trade | News | YLE Uutiset | yle.fi

December 22, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Finland, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Wikileaks