Turkish police find smuggled uranium

Turkish police have arrested two men after seizing 34.5lb (15kg) of weapons-grade uranium worth $5m (£3.2m) hidden in a taxi cab.

The uranium was alleged to have been smuggled into the country from Eastern Europe and the haul was stopped close to the Syrian border, in the southern province of Sanliurfa, 155 miles (240km) from Iraq.

At a time of mounting speculation over the efforts of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to get hold of material to develop a nuclear bomb, a police official said: "Our investigation on whether the uranium was destined for a neighbouring country is continuing."

Turkish media speculated that the alleged smugglers, both Turks, may have been planning to take the weapons-grade material through Syria and on to Iraq.

The uranium was reportedly found concealed in a lead container beneath the seats of a taxi after a tip-off to police.

Since the collapse of the Soviet bloc, Turkey has been a transit route for smuggled nuclear material. Two men were arrested in Istanbul last year after trying to sell more than 2lb of uranium to undercover police. That uranium was also reported to be from an East European nation.

A large number of illicit weapons transfers to Iraq from former Soviet states have been uncovered recently, according to reports.

The US, which patrols the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, has in response stepped up inspections of shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba. Saddam's regime has also been accused of attempting to get nuclear material from African countries and of having bargained with North Korea over stocks of plutonium.