Latvian Experts Identify Recovered Material as Strontium

Latvian experts have determined that radioactive material recovered earlier this month by the Latvian secret service is strontium, a spokesman for the Latvian Constitutional Protection Bureau said last week (see GSN, Oct. 27).

“The radiation security center is investigating the quantity, content, activity time and place of producing this substance. Strontium could be used in making a so-called ‘dirty bomb,’” said bureau spokesman Dainis Mikelsons.

Four people who had been detained Oct. 23 at the University of Latvia’s solid-state radiation chemistry laboratory in connection with the recovered materials have been released, Mikelsons said. He added that the four people were not connected with the laboratory.

“Latvian laws do not envisage bringing to trial persons suspected of illegal handling of radioactive substances if not repeated within a one-year period,” Mikelsons said (Agence France-Presse/SpaceWar.com, Oct. 29).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.