Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES173
2009-02-19 20:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:
ARGENTINA: SMALL AMOUNT OF CESIUM 137 IS STOLEN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBU #0173 0502023 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 192023Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3067 INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/NRC WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0225
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000173
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ISN/WMDT
DEPT FOR DS/CC AND DS/IP/WHA
DOE FOR NNSA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG IAEA KNNP KCSA TRGY ASEC AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: SMALL AMOUNT OF CESIUM 137 IS STOLEN
FROM OIL COMPANY WAREHOUSE
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000173
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ISN/WMDT
DEPT FOR DS/CC AND DS/IP/WHA
DOE FOR NNSA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG IAEA KNNP KCSA TRGY ASEC AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: SMALL AMOUNT OF CESIUM 137 IS STOLEN
FROM OIL COMPANY WAREHOUSE
1. (SBU) In the early hours of February 19, two armed
individuals robbed a lead container holding the equivalent of
2.5 curies of cesium 137 from the warehouse of Baker Atlas, a
U.S. company involved in oil exploration in Neuquen, in the
South of Argentina. The assailants entered the scene shortly
after 4 a.m. and overpowered the only guard. According to
police sources, they asked the guard for the keys to a
specific sector where the radioactive material was stored.
Stolen was a 45 kg lead box holding a radioactive element the
size of a cigarette. The box is opened with a special key,
which the thieves did not have, according to police. The
radioactive material is used by Baker Atlas to carry out
oil-well logging.
2. (SBU) Post contacted Gabriel Terigi, Head of Institutional
Relations at the ARN (Nuclear Regulatory Agency),for details
on the ARN's planned response. Terigi was in a meeting about
this very incident when contacted. He told us that the ARN
had sent a team to Neuquen as part of its response system for
nuclear emergencies. The team was carrying detection
equipment as well as equipment to handle and confine the
source if necessary. Provincial police and the Gendarmerie
had been informed. The ARN was also preparing its report to
the IAEA. Terigi noted that the ARN was responding to this
incident according to established procedures, and that
various response systems had been activated throughout the
day. He pledged to keep us informed of developments as they
occur.
3. (U) Post will continue to communicate about this incident
with GOA authorities and follow up with additional reporting
on February 20.
KELLY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ISN/WMDT
DEPT FOR DS/CC AND DS/IP/WHA
DOE FOR NNSA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG IAEA KNNP KCSA TRGY ASEC AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: SMALL AMOUNT OF CESIUM 137 IS STOLEN
FROM OIL COMPANY WAREHOUSE
1. (SBU) In the early hours of February 19, two armed
individuals robbed a lead container holding the equivalent of
2.5 curies of cesium 137 from the warehouse of Baker Atlas, a
U.S. company involved in oil exploration in Neuquen, in the
South of Argentina. The assailants entered the scene shortly
after 4 a.m. and overpowered the only guard. According to
police sources, they asked the guard for the keys to a
specific sector where the radioactive material was stored.
Stolen was a 45 kg lead box holding a radioactive element the
size of a cigarette. The box is opened with a special key,
which the thieves did not have, according to police. The
radioactive material is used by Baker Atlas to carry out
oil-well logging.
2. (SBU) Post contacted Gabriel Terigi, Head of Institutional
Relations at the ARN (Nuclear Regulatory Agency),for details
on the ARN's planned response. Terigi was in a meeting about
this very incident when contacted. He told us that the ARN
had sent a team to Neuquen as part of its response system for
nuclear emergencies. The team was carrying detection
equipment as well as equipment to handle and confine the
source if necessary. Provincial police and the Gendarmerie
had been informed. The ARN was also preparing its report to
the IAEA. Terigi noted that the ARN was responding to this
incident according to established procedures, and that
various response systems had been activated throughout the
day. He pledged to keep us informed of developments as they
occur.
3. (U) Post will continue to communicate about this incident
with GOA authorities and follow up with additional reporting
on February 20.
KELLY