Russia seizes radioactive sodium headed for Iran

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Source: CBS/AP

Russia's customs agency says it has seized radioactive metal from the luggage of a passenger bound for Tehran.

The Federal Customs Service said in a statement that its agents found 18 pieces of metal Friday at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport after a radiation alert went on. It says the gauges showed that normal radiation levels were exceeded by 20 times.

The Interfax news agency says the pieces contained Sodium-22, a radioactive isotope of sodium that could only be produced at a nuclear reactor.

Nuclear expert John Large tells CBS News that Sodium-22 is not used in nuclear weapons production, and would not likely be used in any attempts to construct a radioactive improvised explosive device, or a so-called "dirty bomb".


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57344117/russia-seizes-radioactive-sodium-headed-for-iran/?tag=stack