Mother may I, says kerry
U.N. Didn't OK Uranium Transfer to U.S.
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS - The United States didn't have authorization from the U.N. nuclear watchdog when it secretly shipped from Iraq (news - web sites) uranium and highly radioactive material that could be used in so-called "dirty bombs," U.N. officials said Wednesday.
The nearly 2 tons of low-enriched uranium and approximately 1,000 highly radioactive items transferred from Iraq to the United States last month had been placed under seal by the International Atomic Energy Agency at the sprawling Tuwaitha nuclear complex, 12 miles south of Baghdad, the officials said.
"The American authorities just informed us of their intention to remove the materials, but they never sought authorization from us," said Gustavo Zlauvinen, head of the IAEA's New York office.