US Occupation Forces Transfer 550 tones of Uranium from Iraq to Canada

In a secret US operation that included an airlift from Baghdad and a voyage across two oceans, the last major remnant of Saddam's nuclear program that included a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium reached Canada. According to AP from Ottawa, the removal of about 550 tons of "yellowcake" was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam's nuclear legacy.

A US official who wished not to be identified claimed that the consignment included necessary materials to enrich uranium for nuclear bomb production.

According to the American official, the remaining radioactive debris was located at the former Tuwaitha nuclear complex, about 12 miles south of Baghdad.

According to the report, the deal culminated more than a year of diplomatic and military initiatives, first carrying 3,500 barrels by road to Baghdad, then on 37 military flights to the Indian Ocean and finally aboard a US-flagged ship for a 8,500-mile trip to Montreal.