ISIS seizes 'low-grade' nuclear material in Iraq

Sunni militants in Iraq seized nuclear material, thought to be uranium, from a university in Mosul last month, the United Nations announced Thursday.

Iraq notified the U.N. of the seizure in a letter on July 8. Reuters reports that the terrorists behind the act are members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The letter states that nearly 90 pounds of uranium compounds were stored at the university and were being used for scientific research.

Gill Tudor, a spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a statement that the material was "low-grade and would not present a significant safety, security or nuclear proliferation risk." Tudor said the agency "is aware of the notification from Iraq and is in contact to seek further details." Tudor does not think the material can be used to create a nuclear weapon, but says that any loss of radioactive materials is "a cause for concern."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up