Russians arrested for selling uranium

Russian police have arrested seven people who were trying to sell more than one kilogram (more than 2lb) of apparently weapons-grade uranium, Russian television reported.

Russian police have arrested seven people who were trying to sell more than one kilogram (more than 2lb) of apparently weapons-grade uranium, Russian television reported.

The men were arrested on Tuesday in the town of Balashikha, south-east of Moscow, trying to sell a container of uranium-235 for $30,000 (£21,000), NTV television said. The suspects were charged with illegal handling of nuclear materials, it said. A later NTV report said that according to "preliminary information" the materials were weapons-grade.

If true, the seizure would be the first officially confirmed case of theft of weapons-grade material in Russia, and would further blacken the image of Russian nuclear security amid heightened tensions worldwide since the 11 September attacks on the United States. The suspects allegedly belonged to the Balashikha criminal gang. (AP)