Russian uranium smuggler caught in Georgian-US sting

[Bigmac]

01-25-2007, 18h30
TBILISI (AFP)

Georgian authorities have imprisoned a Russian citizen for attempting to sell 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of weapons-grade uranium after a joint operation with the FBI, officials announced.

        The scary thought is how many Russian citizens didn't get caught smuggling weapons grade uranium??

http://archive.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=160392

 

[Haggis]

Ahh, Georgia!  What a beautiful little country...

The article states the suspect is from North Ossetia, a province in southern Russia, bordering on Chechnya. He likely had some interest in dealing with Islamist Chechen rebels, who are know to use Georgia's northern Pankisi Gorge as a hideout from the Russians.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L26836450.htm

 

[Bigmac]

Russia calls uranium incident a ploy
Georgia's news of an arrest is propaganda meant to tarnish Moscow's image, authorities say.
By David Holley, Times Staff Writer
January 27, 2007


MOSCOW — Russian authorities on Friday rejected as an overblown propaganda ploy the announcement this week that one of their citizens was arrested last year in Georgia while allegedly trying to sell a small amount of weapons-grade uranium.

      That's a pretty good ploy.

"I don't think the international community should give much credit to this story and express serious concern about the situation," Safranchuk said.

Utiashvili said Khintsagov had previously been known to Georgian authorities as "a small-time smuggler specializing mostly in foodstuffs."

      They also say the guy who got the uranium is a known small time smuggler. So how does a small time smuggler easily get hold of weapons grade uranium?? ???

"We are completely convinced he brought the nuclear material from Russia," he said. "When the man and his three Georgian accomplices were arrested and the material was analyzed by our experts, we were shocked to hear that the material in question was indeed weapons-grade uranium-235."

      OK, but how did he get the uranium and who gave it to him?? ???

"Unfortunately," he said, "Khintsagov never either during the investigation or during the trial testified where he got the dangerous material and who helped him get that in Russia."

      Oh, you don't know how he got it or who gave it to him? Wow, I'll sleep better knowing that information! Hey folks, I guess we have absolutely nothing to worry about! :-\

 

[Bigmac]

      Link for the article I quoted previously is below.



http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sting27jan27,0,2472304.story?coll=la-home-headlines

 

[sober_ruski]

Bigmac
with enough cash you can get ANYTHING there, and i really do mean ANYTHING.

 

[FredDaHead]

Bigmac
with enough cash you can get ANYTHING there, and i really do mean ANYTHING.

Well, besides weapons-grade jailbait and uranium... what more could you want? You can get AK's pretty much anywhere, and bigger weapons are impractical to carry around. I mean, who wants to walk around carrying an RPG with a few rounds, or drive over the border in a T-80?

 

[sober_ruski]

Now driving a T80... who wouldnt want that? heh.

Everything from pre-historic dinosaur to a space walk.

 

[Haggis]

"We are completely convinced he brought the nuclear material from Russia," he said. "When the man and his three Georgian accomplices were arrested and the material was analyzed by our experts, we were shocked to hear that the material in question was indeed weapons-grade uranium-235."

Would be intersting to know who the "three Georgian accomplices" are.  The Russians have "peacekeepers" in Abkhasia and South Ossetia, two separatist provinces in northern Georgia.  There are still Russian troops garrisoned just outside the capitol city.