NUCLEAR PHYSICS LAB SHUT DOWN FOR ALLEGED

UNCLAS ROME 002414 SIPDIS PARIS FOR NSF REP SCHINDEL DEPT FOR OES/STC AND STAS, EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TSPL KSCA TBIO TPHY IT SUBJECT: NUCLEAR PHYSICS LAB SHUT DOWN FOR ALLEGED POLLUTION ¶1. ON MAY 30, THE PRESS REPORTED THAT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS (INFN) GRAN SASSO LABORATORY WAS SHUT DOWN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. IN PARTICULAR, THE MAGISTRATE DECIDED TO KEEP THE HALL C SEALED, WHERE THE BOREXINO EXPERIMENT IS AND FROM WHERE PSEUDOCUMENE LEAKED INTO A RIVER LAST AUGUST. NOTE. THE LEAK WAS DUE TO A "HUMAN MISTAKE" - ACTUALLY TO LACK OF PERSONNEL BECAUSE OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAY - NOT A TO DAMAGED OR UNSAFE FILTERS. END NOTE. ¶2. HOWEVER, ON MAY 29 INFN DECIDED TO SUSPEND "ALL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WHICH IMPLY THE USE OF ANY KIND OF LIQUID". INFN PRESIDENT IAROCCI HAS ASKED THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY TO URGENTLY INSPECT ALL THE LABS AND FIX WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED SO THAT THE RESEARCH ACTIVITY COULD START AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO IAROCCI'S ASSISTANT, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE CONTINUOUS ATTACKS AND ACCUSATIONS FROM SEVERAL GREEN NGO'S. SKODON NNNN 2003ROME02414 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED