nuclear-news

Terrorism danger, as weapons grade nuclear material flown from UK to USA

Energy Voice 18th Sept 2017, A plane carrying weapons-grade nuclear waste to the US left the Highlands
the day after the UK’s terror threat level was raised to “critical”.
Armed police and anti-terrorism specialists stood guard at Wick John
O’Groats Airport as the enriched uranium was loaded onto a US Air Force
C-17 Globemaster transporter jet.

But last night opponents slammed the decision to go ahead with the flight on Saturday, just a day after the
London tube bomb attack. Highlands and Islands MSP (Green) John Finnie
said: “Every avenue should have been considered, including the current
threat level, and it would have been appropriate to set that flight aside.

It is the third such flight under a deal agreed between the UK and US
governments to transfer nuclear material in exchange for a medical grade
uranium from the US used to diagnose cancer. The plane firstly travelled to
RAF Lossiemouth on Saturday – before heading for a nuclear facility in
Tennessee – as the runway at Wick is 1,712ft too short for a fully
fuelled Globemaster to get airborne. Wick’s runway was strengthened, but
not lengthened in preparation for the flights in an £8million upgrade. Up
to 10 more flights are expected in the future as the decommissioning at
Dounreay continues.

Mr Finnie added that terrorists would be seeking
“prestigious targets” such as these flights and that the consequences
of a disaster would be “unthinkable”. Tor Justad, chairman of Highlands
Against Nuclear Transport (HANT), said: “I think everyone is aware of the
heightened security and it does not seem to be an appropriate time to be
adding to the risks when these risks are avoidable. There is no reason why
this flight had to happen on Saturday, just after the third terrorist
incident in London in a few months.”
https://www.energyvoice.com/otherenergy/nuclear/150794/nuclear-waste-flight-takes-off-despite-attack

September 22, 2017 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK