VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #0297 0360855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050855Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2675

UNCLAS KABUL 000297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS FOR ISN/CTR AND PM/ISO/PMAT (24/7) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC KCOR AF
SUBJECT: UPDATE: NUCLEAR SMUGGLING INCIDENT AT KABUL, 
AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF: KABUL 266 
 
¶1. This to update the Department on Post's alert of 
February 2 regarding the report by the Afghan National 
Police Coordination Center (NPCC) of the Afghan National 
Directorate of Security (NDS) seizure of two bottles of 
uranium.  Following further inspection of the bottle, an 
NDS liaison officer updated the NPCC report as follows: 
 
-- An NDS lab test determined the substance contained in 
the bottles to be gun cleaning solution; 
 
-- Both bottles were labeled in Russian and contained 
visual poison warnings; and 
 
-- The detained suspect, from whom the bottles were 
seized, claimed possession of the cleaning solution from 
the pre-Taliban era and hoped to sell the bottles. 
 
¶2. Post finds the NDS determination to be credible and 
attributes the initial Afghan designation of the substance 
as uranium due to the Russian language label and poison 
markings.  It is unclear whether the detained suspect was 
attempting to sell the bottles as uranium prior to the 
seizure. 
 
¶3. Any questions on this issue can be directed to Michael 
Williams, Political-Military Affairs Officer, by e-mail 
(williamsme3@state.gov) or telephone ( 93 700-108-163). 
WOOD