Radioactive Liquids Claimed in Afghanistan Tunnels Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit [If these reports are accurate, and there are radioactive materials or other biochemical weapons stored in some of these caves and tunnels, the USA will just be creating its own "dirty bomb" by using hyperbaric explosives on the caves. Given their own lack of reliable intelligence and their gullibility toward Afghan warlords' false tales of al Qaeda/Taliban sightings, General Franks and his bosses had better start thinking at least once, if not twice, before deploying all their deadly toys.] URANIUM REPORTEDLY FOUND IN TUNNEL COMPLEX Commander Claims Troops Discovered Substance in Jars, Bottles USA Today - Dec 24, 2001 http://www.usatoday.com by Vivienne Walt KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 24 -- Bottles and drums of what may be radioactive liquids were found here in a large underground tunnel complex at what was once a military base controlled by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network, a local tribal commander said Sunday. In Washington, one U.S. official said some depleted uranium was found in Afghanistan recently, but that the material did not appear to be dangerous and that it isn't clear whether Sunday's claim involves the same discovery. Other high-ranking U.S. officials said Sunday that they knew of no discoveries of any radioactive materials anywhere in Afghanistan. Even so, the local commander's claim, which a U.S. official on the scene did not deny, renewed concerns that bin Laden may have been trying to make a "dirty" bomb that spreads radiation after being exploded. Haji Gullalai, interim intelligence chief for Kandahar province, says his troops uncovered the tunnels Dec. 5, discovered the suspicious substances -- stored in jars and bottles and placed in sealed boxes -- and then alerted U.S. forces. The tunnels are at the edge of an air base controlled by U.S. forces. The U.S. troops "told me, 'Remove your people from this place because this is very dangerous, it is uranium,' " Gullalai said. He said "engineers" arrived to test the contents wearing protective masks and gowns, and "foreign experts told me directly it was uranium." Marine Corps Capt. David Romley said Sunday in Kandahar that he "cannot deny" that uranium had been found at the airport, where he is stationed as a public information officer. "We are aware that there are CBR (chemical-biological-radioactive)-type environments in the region," he said. In other news: * Afghanistan's new government began the task of bringing peace, stability and progress to this country. Cabinet members met for the first time Sunday. "There are no areas in which Afghanistan will not require assistance," said Hamid Karzai, the new leader. It will take "billions of dollars to overcome the difficulties." Karzai took power Saturday. He and 29 members of an interim ruling council have six months to get the nation's recovery on track before ceding power to a two-year transition government. Sometime in 2004, elections and the drafting of a constitution are scheduled. Karzai pledged Sunday to continue to cooperate with the United States and other nations on finding and holding accountable terrorists and Taliban officials. "They will be taken to court, and they will be given justice wherever it is appropriate," Karzai said. * Pentagon officials said a vehicle convoy that U.S. jets attacked Thursday in eastern Afghanistan was carrying leaders of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. But Afghan officials said the passengers were Afghans heading to Karzai's inauguration. The United States was investigating reports that local warlords may have misled U.S. forces to draw fire on rivals, not al-Qaeda or Taliban fighters. The attack killed at least 50 people, local officials said. * The hunt for bin Laden, concentrated in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, continued with no word on his whereabouts. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Saturday that there is a "great possibility" bin Laden died in Afghanistan. "Maybe he is dead because of all the operations that have been conducted, the bombardment," he said. The Pentagon is sending 10 "thermobaric" bombs to Afghanistan for use against any remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters still holed up in caves and tunnels. (c) Copyright 2001 USA TODAY ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytenv-12.25.01-08:30:20-8785