The disclosure from the Georgian government that they foiled a uranium smuggling plot last summer has revived fears about terrorists trying to attain materials for a nuclear or radiological weapon and the problem of loose nuclear material in the former Soviet Union. While many wonder why this plot is only coming to light now, the Russian government has been strangely reticent about this issue. The Georgian government claimed that Russia has not cooperated in their investigation, but Russia negated the claim and hinted that the Georgian government is trying to tarnish their image. Diplomatic angst and bad blood between these two countries in the last year may account for a lack of cooperation on this issue.
The US aided Georgia in the sting operation, and a Russian man arrested, Oleg Khintsagov from the North Ossetia region, was found with 100 grams of highly enriched uranium. He claimed he could acquire more of this substance, if needed, a claim that has been difficult to verify. Without information from the Russian government, the origin of the material or where exactly it was procured have been difficult to verify. Georgian authorities came across the plot while investigating other criminal activity in South Ossetia and in Abkhazia. Criminal activity and instability in the region?specifically smuggling of various materials, are major activities in a murky environment where law and order can be unimpressive.
The smuggling and trade of nuclear materials is a very specialized market. How well the Russian government is able to police this illicit trade is debatable, especially when cases like this surface. Investigators must discern whether these cases are sporadic occurrences or part of a regular and growing underground trade. While this particular case involves a small amount of material, should the smuggler have been able to acquire more or should a terrorist group or rogue state clients have multiple smugglers working for them, then the quantity of fissile material might be more worrisome. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there were great fears about ?loose nukes,? loose nuclear knowledge, and loose nuclear materials being stolen or sold. While many programs have been instituted to control nuclear materials and nuclear scientists and the Russian government has tightened security, it is apparent that materials are circulating illegally. The source of these materials must be traced in order to stem their theft and illegal sale. Distribution into terrorists? hands could be devastatingly lethal to their targets.
