Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 4040 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QA
YM YI YE

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09BUJUMBURA689, NUCLEAR SMUGGLING INCIDENT/PORTAL DETECTION AT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09BUJUMBURA689.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BUJUMBURA689 2009-12-17 10:10 2011-02-01 21:09 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Bujumbura
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0689/01 3511043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171043Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1898
UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/WMDT AND PM/ISO/PMAT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC BY KCRM KNNP MNUC PARM PINR PTER
SUBJECT: NUCLEAR SMUGGLING INCIDENT/PORTAL DETECTION AT 
BUJUMBURA 
 
REF: A. STATE 030541 B. BUJUMBURA 00302

1.(SBU) Post wishes to alert the Department and Washington agencies per reference A that it has received a report indicating a potential incident of illicit trafficking in nuclear and/or radiological materials. The report was generated by the Defense Attache (DATT) after a walk-in, xxxxxxxxxxxx, offered to sell a canister of purported uranium to Post at 0915 on 17 December; the same walk-in was involved in a previous presentation of hoax material to the DATT in 2007. The purported material and backstory fit the profile of the common "basket" hoax and Post does not believe the source to be credible.

2.(SBU) Details of the incident follow:

--------------- Location and Description of Material ---------------

A) The material is purportedly stationary, stored somewhere in xxxxxxxxxxxx, DRC, approximately 1-2 hours from Bujumbura. Source reports the material is in the hands of unnamed business associates; he claims there are layers of middle-men between the owners of the material and himself. (NFI) B) A plaque on the container identifies the contents as U238. C) Source stated the material was previously verified radioactive by an unnamed xxxxxxxxxxxx official through use of a Geiger counter; source was unable to provide any evidence or report to back up this claim. Post notes that in a previous "basket case," (reference B) Burundian officials claimed to have no means to detect radiation. D) See (B) above. E) The identifying plaque indicates 19 kgs of "raw weight" and 3 kgs of "net weight." F) Source provided photos of the suspect container. It is a cylindrical metal vessel with an orange/red domed top and an apparently locally-produced woven fiber carrier with handle; a plaque with identifying information on the cylinder is visible through an opening in the basket. Post has provided PMAT scans of the photos via email. G) The material is stationary. H) The material is stationary. I) There is no manifest. J) The material's origins are unknown.

---------------- Alarm and Detection Details ----------------

K) The report originates from the DATT following a walk-in. L) The DATT's meeting with the walk-in occurred at the Chancery at 0915 local time on 17 December 2009. M) There was no radiation alarm, and no other technical inspection of the material has taken place. N) No spectral file is available. O) Only the material, the canister, and the woven fiber carrier have been reported. P) See (L) above. Q) No radiation detector was used, and none are available to Post.

--------------- Host Government Response ---------------

R) Source claims to have been in contact with the Burundian government concerning this item in the past, but does not claim to have any current dealings with them. Post has not notified the host government, as the incident reported in reference B calls into question the host government's motives and ability to manage incidents of this type. S) Unknown. T) Not applicable. U) Not applicable. V) Post does not know who else might know about the material. W) Not applicable. X) Post does not know whether the IAEA has been alerted to the material's presence. Y) There is no investigation at present. Z) No criminal charges have been involved to Post's knowledge. -------------- Details on the individuals involved --------------

AA) Individuals involved: -- DATT: LtCol Thomas Miller USAF, xxxxxxxxxxxx; -- Walk-in: xxxxxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxx Burundi mobile, xxxxxxxxxxxx, email xxxxxxxxxxxx. xxxxxxxxxxxx claims to be associated with a sub-contractor supporting xxxxxxxxxxxx Gold mining in Tanzania xxxxxxxxxxxx. Post has provided photos of xxxxxxxxxxxx to PMAT via email. BB) Source claimed there were other businessmen involved with the material, but did not give any names or contact information aside from xxxxxxxxxxxx. (See item (CC) below.) CC) Source indicated he wished to establish a relationship with Post, stating he was willing to travel through the region to find other radiological items to sell to Post. Source presented the DATT with a letter vaguely outlining this proposal and referencing his earlier dealings with the previous DATT; this letter was attributed to "xxxxxxxxxxxx," not Nawab xxxxxxxxxxxx, and also inluded the name "xxxxxxxxxxxx." The letter had no signatures. A scan of the letter has been provided to PMAT via email. DD) Source did not claim associations with any other groups, and stated he did not wish the material to fall into the hands of terrorists or a corrupt government. Source stated he had contacted the US Embassy in Dar-es-Salaam concerning the material, and that the Pentagon was interested in the material as well, but that transportation was a problem, so he decided to contact Post due to its proximity to the material. Post will follow up with Dar-es-Salaam and update PMAT via email.

3.(SBU) Action officer at Post for handling incident is DATT LtCol Thomas Miller, at xxxxxxxxxxxx. 
Slutz