Radioactive Uranium in cargo from Pakistan at Heathrow – Why the World needs to take note and stay alert!

After a shipment containing uranium was intercepted at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom, a significant counter-terrorism investigation was opened. According to reports, the package, which was sent to a UK company with ties to Iran, likely came from Pakistan and flew in through Oman. The package flew from Muscat International Airport to London on an Omar Air passenger airliner. 

Uranium is frequently used to create nuclear energy and is typically considered to be dangerous. Although “a very little amount of tainted material” was discovered during a regular inspection of the shipment, authorities have apparently determined that it poses “no harm to the public.” According to sources, the uranium was “not weapons-grade” and hence could not be utilised to create a thermonuclear device. 

The Met Police said, “We can confirm officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were contacted by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow after a very small amount of contaminated material was identified after routine screening within a package incoming to the UK on December 29″.

The Flow of Events:

1. The nuclear package is thought to have originated in Pakistan
2. It was shipped to Muscat, Oman and put in Cargo in the hold of a Jet.
3. The package was triggered by sensors at Heathrow.

The Iran Connection 

The whole scenario is becoming very suspicious over what the Iranians living in the U.K. wanted with the Non-disclosed nuclear material. Hamish De Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the UK’s nuclear defence unit, said it was highly suspicious for uranium to arrive on a commercial aeroplane from Pakistan to an Iranian location in the UK. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has more than 60 kg of uranium that has been enriched to 60%, putting one atomic weapon within reach. The creation of a bomb small enough to go on a missile would then require significant technical challenges to be addressed. But according to the UK, Iran is making quick progress on a prospective weapon. Iran and six nations, including the UK, came to an agreement in 2015 to limit Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons in exchange for the removal of economic sanctions.

No one has been detained, and it’s unclear where the shipment was headed. Authorities claimed that an investigation was ongoing in this regard. Richard Smith, the police commander, said it doesn’t seem to be connected to any immediate threat. 

Pak’s Unholy Precedents

Though Pakistan denied any knowledge of the findings at Heathrow Airport, the country has a history of associating with terror-aiding activities, considering the fact that major terror organisations have made Pakistan their home. Since 9/11, the United States has given Pakistan aid totalling tens of billions of taxpayer dollars in the hope that Pakistan will join forces with it in the battle against terrorism. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s military and intelligence services continue to have ties to terrorist organisations despite this considerable investment.

Terrorist groups with close ties to Pakistan’s military elite have gone unchecked to the point of thriving while Pakistan’s ruling elite turns a blind eye, despite claims from the administration and Pakistanis that there have been some victories in the fight against terrorist elements, particularly in Shawal Valley. Pakistan professes to be battling terrorism, but won’t take on those organisations that we know to be terrorist organisations. Many analysts believe Pakistani security authorities combat just some terrorist organisations while allowing others to continue wreaking havoc, particularly when such organisations target India. 

The Pakistani state has periodically used Islamic extremist movements for internal political mobilisation and has supported some extremist groups for strategic reasons. Radicalization in Pakistan is also influenced by socioeconomic inequality, conflicting sectarian agendas, and political marginalisation. Radicalization in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is mostly a result of the impact of militant Islamist groups present there, such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Pakistan’s Nuclear Proliferation Activities

As part of efforts to develop its atomic weapons programmes, Pakistan continues to be involved in efforts to unlawfully obtain nuclear products and know-how from German high-tech enterprises. For many years, Pakistan has run a comprehensive programme for nuclear weapons and delivery systems. “This is largely aimed at India, which also has nuclear weapons. Pakistan is dependent on acquiring Western technology and practices among other things for upkeep and future development. Several unauthorised shipments of U.S.-made electronics parts, which are crucial components in the building of a nuclear weapon, have been delivered to Pakistan via Canada. Although it is allowed to own the equipment in Canada, exporting it outside of the country is prohibited by export regulations that aim to keep track of who controls the materials. There are approximately 165 nuclear weapons in Pakistan, which can be used to launch missiles and planes. Additionally, the ability to launch them from submarines is being developed. In 1998, Pakistan conducted two nuclear tests.

In 2004, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation alleged that “proliferation activities by certain Pakistanis and foreigners over the last two decades.” Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the so-called father of the Pakistani nuclear bomb, admitted that the allegations were true and apologized in a televised address to the nation. Pakistani officials a few days earlier had claimed that Khan provided technology to Iran, Libya, and North Korea. Due to stringent regulations and strict checks and balances by regulatory authorities, Pakistan looked to Russia as a prospective market to fulfil its nuclear objectives. Traditionally, Pakistan has purchased nuclear materials from private companies in Europe. Pakistan spent an estimated US$1.1 billion in 2021 to construct and maintain its nuclear arsenal.

Given Pakistan’s dubious antecedents and nefarious relations with terror groups, the UK and the world in general need to take all measures to ascertain the source and purpose of the uranium cargo found. The world must be clear that there will be severe consequences to allow rogue states to commit further transgressions, regardless of their contrarian claims.

_{(The author is pursuing an MA in International Affairs at O P Jindal Global University, Sonipat. Views expressed are author’s own)}