Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BUJUMBURA515
2007-07-17 14:48:00
SECRET
Embassy Bujumbura
Cable title:
ADDENDUM TO ALLEGED NUCLEAR SMUGGLING IN BURUNDI
how-toVZCZCXYZ0013 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHJB #0515/01 1981448 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 171448Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0429 INFO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0008
S E C R E T BUJUMBURA 000515
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR: DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA
EO 12958 DECL: 07/17/2017
TAGS KCRM, KNNP, MNUC, PARM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, BY
SUBJECT: ADDENDUM TO ALLEGED NUCLEAR SMUGGLING IN BURUNDI
REF: A. A. BUJUMBURA 479 B. B. 06 STATE 163201 C. C. 04 STATE 230588
Classified By: XXXXXXXXXXXX reason 1.4 (g,h)
S E C R E T BUJUMBURA 000515
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR: DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA
EO 12958 DECL: 07/17/2017
TAGS KCRM, KNNP, MNUC, PARM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, BY
SUBJECT: ADDENDUM TO ALLEGED NUCLEAR SMUGGLING IN BURUNDI
REF: A. A. BUJUMBURA 479 B. B. 06 STATE 163201 C. C. 04 STATE 230588
Classified By: XXXXXXXXXXXX reason 1.4 (g,h)
1. (C/NF) Post wishes to alert the Department and Washington agencies per reftels that it has received additional information regarding the incident of nuclear smuggling reported in Bujumbura cable 479 dated 06/27/2007. XXXXXXXXXXXX and I have met on XXXXXXXXXXXX additional occasions since that initial meeting. XXXXXXXXXXXX During each meeting XXXXXXXXXXXX furnished additional information regarding the alleged uranium. XXXXXXXXXXXX produced a flash drive with digital images of the Brom Merck and copies of a booklet located with the cache describing the results of a laboratory analysis conducted on the uranium, a description of the uranium, a short history of uranium, and health warning pages. XXXXXXXXXXXX furnished four poor quality color photos printed on paper. XXXXXXXXXXXX he furnished the four photos provided earlier on paper, but this time in digital format plus an additional 12 digital images. Six of the photos are of the alleged uranium container in a wicker basket. Five of the photos are of the front side of the tag attached to the container. Two of the tag photos display the orange back of the tag attached to the container.
2. XXXXXXXXXXXX: #1 Booklet #2 Brom Merck #3 Unknown #4 Unknown #5 Unknown #6 Wicker basket without the uranium container #7 Uranium container and wicker basket #8 Wicker basket #9 Wicker basket #10 Uranium container and wicker basket #11 Uranium container and wicker basket #12 Back of tag #13 Back of tag #14 Front of tag #15 Front of tag #16 Front of tag #17 Front of tag #18 Front of tag
3. (C/NF) Due to the poor quality of the color photos it might be difficult for you to read the front of the tag. It is transcribed below.
A POIDS BRUIT 19 kgs E POIDS NET 03 kgs G TENNEUR 70% C N 16 012 URANIUM
4. (C/NF) If you cross reference some of the numbers with the booklet (#1) the letters CGAE running vertically from bottom to on the left side of the tag probably mean ‘Commissariat General A L’Energie Atomic’ from page 2 of the booklet. The same gross and net weight can be found on page 9 of the booklet. Tenneur or potency (spelled incorrectly) is listed as 98.7% on the booklet but 70% on the tag. N 16 012 is probably the ‘result d’analyse number’ that can also be found on page
9. The number on the tag is not the same number on the booklet.
5. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was accompanied by XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that the bunker where the alleged uranium and other materials were found was located 107 miles west of Bukavu. The materials have since been moved. One container weighing 3kg is currently located in Bukavu and another 3 kg container is located in Goma, both of which are under XXXXXXXXXXXX,s control. XXXXXXXXXXXX further stated that he knows of someone who has 3 containers who would be willing to sell them in addition to a 72 kg package of multiple containers at another location.
6. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX indicated that he has not approached anyone else or informed another country regarding the alleged uranium. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that he is a pastor in good standing in the community and not interested in monetary reward. He is only interested in keeping the materials out of the hands of the wrong people, specifically the Arabs who will ‘destroy’ people with it. XXXXXXXXXXXX . He has no specific knowledge regarding Uranium, Bromerck, or any other chemicals that were in the bunker. It took four months to open the bunker. In the process of opening the bunker two men were killed by a grenade booby trap. There were also land mines planted around it.
7. (C/NF) Additionally, at some time in the past the Catholic mission in Bukavu bought 12 g of red mercury from the cache. There is no indication that any other materials, specifically the Uranium, have been sold.
8. (C/NF) RSO assessment: After interviewing XXXXXXXXXXXX the C.O.S and myself feel that XXXXXXXXXXXX is quite naive of all matters concerning the uranium. The group of people he represents (as he likes to describe his relationship with them) have all the details regarding the alleged uranium. Any specific questions or requests we have are communicated to them and they communicate back via XXXXXXXXXXXX. Thus far XXXXXXXXXXXX and his accomplices have provided all the information we have asked for. Overall the entire group, including XXXXXXXXXXXX, feel that they have something of value and are anxiously waiting for some sort of indication from us that we are willing to pay for it or travel to the Congo to view the materials. At this point in time they are waiting for us take the initiative with regard to a payment or visual inspection of the materials. We have not made any offers of payment, discussed an amount, or offered assurances that we plan to observe the alleged uranium first hand.
9. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX MOLLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR: DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA
EO 12958 DECL: 07/17/2017
TAGS KCRM, KNNP, MNUC, PARM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, BY
SUBJECT: ADDENDUM TO ALLEGED NUCLEAR SMUGGLING IN BURUNDI
REF: A. A. BUJUMBURA 479 B. B. 06 STATE 163201 C. C. 04 STATE 230588
Classified By: XXXXXXXXXXXX reason 1.4 (g,h)
1. (C/NF) Post wishes to alert the Department and Washington agencies per reftels that it has received additional information regarding the incident of nuclear smuggling reported in Bujumbura cable 479 dated 06/27/2007. XXXXXXXXXXXX and I have met on XXXXXXXXXXXX additional occasions since that initial meeting. XXXXXXXXXXXX During each meeting XXXXXXXXXXXX furnished additional information regarding the alleged uranium. XXXXXXXXXXXX produced a flash drive with digital images of the Brom Merck and copies of a booklet located with the cache describing the results of a laboratory analysis conducted on the uranium, a description of the uranium, a short history of uranium, and health warning pages. XXXXXXXXXXXX furnished four poor quality color photos printed on paper. XXXXXXXXXXXX he furnished the four photos provided earlier on paper, but this time in digital format plus an additional 12 digital images. Six of the photos are of the alleged uranium container in a wicker basket. Five of the photos are of the front side of the tag attached to the container. Two of the tag photos display the orange back of the tag attached to the container.
2. XXXXXXXXXXXX: #1 Booklet #2 Brom Merck #3 Unknown #4 Unknown #5 Unknown #6 Wicker basket without the uranium container #7 Uranium container and wicker basket #8 Wicker basket #9 Wicker basket #10 Uranium container and wicker basket #11 Uranium container and wicker basket #12 Back of tag #13 Back of tag #14 Front of tag #15 Front of tag #16 Front of tag #17 Front of tag #18 Front of tag
3. (C/NF) Due to the poor quality of the color photos it might be difficult for you to read the front of the tag. It is transcribed below.
A POIDS BRUIT 19 kgs E POIDS NET 03 kgs G TENNEUR 70% C N 16 012 URANIUM
4. (C/NF) If you cross reference some of the numbers with the booklet (#1) the letters CGAE running vertically from bottom to on the left side of the tag probably mean ‘Commissariat General A L’Energie Atomic’ from page 2 of the booklet. The same gross and net weight can be found on page 9 of the booklet. Tenneur or potency (spelled incorrectly) is listed as 98.7% on the booklet but 70% on the tag. N 16 012 is probably the ‘result d’analyse number’ that can also be found on page
9. The number on the tag is not the same number on the booklet.
5. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was accompanied by XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that the bunker where the alleged uranium and other materials were found was located 107 miles west of Bukavu. The materials have since been moved. One container weighing 3kg is currently located in Bukavu and another 3 kg container is located in Goma, both of which are under XXXXXXXXXXXX,s control. XXXXXXXXXXXX further stated that he knows of someone who has 3 containers who would be willing to sell them in addition to a 72 kg package of multiple containers at another location.
6. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX indicated that he has not approached anyone else or informed another country regarding the alleged uranium. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that he is a pastor in good standing in the community and not interested in monetary reward. He is only interested in keeping the materials out of the hands of the wrong people, specifically the Arabs who will ‘destroy’ people with it. XXXXXXXXXXXX . He has no specific knowledge regarding Uranium, Bromerck, or any other chemicals that were in the bunker. It took four months to open the bunker. In the process of opening the bunker two men were killed by a grenade booby trap. There were also land mines planted around it.
7. (C/NF) Additionally, at some time in the past the Catholic mission in Bukavu bought 12 g of red mercury from the cache. There is no indication that any other materials, specifically the Uranium, have been sold.
8. (C/NF) RSO assessment: After interviewing XXXXXXXXXXXX the C.O.S and myself feel that XXXXXXXXXXXX is quite naive of all matters concerning the uranium. The group of people he represents (as he likes to describe his relationship with them) have all the details regarding the alleged uranium. Any specific questions or requests we have are communicated to them and they communicate back via XXXXXXXXXXXX. Thus far XXXXXXXXXXXX and his accomplices have provided all the information we have asked for. Overall the entire group, including XXXXXXXXXXXX, feel that they have something of value and are anxiously waiting for some sort of indication from us that we are willing to pay for it or travel to the Congo to view the materials. At this point in time they are waiting for us take the initiative with regard to a payment or visual inspection of the materials. We have not made any offers of payment, discussed an amount, or offered assurances that we plan to observe the alleged uranium first hand.
9. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX MOLLER