Acting on a tip from local residents, Marines today raided an abandoned branch of the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission south of Baghdad and found several laboratories, gas masks, chemical suits, vats of industrial chemicals and a map listing buildings that contained "radioactive material." Troops from the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, scoured the fortified government complex, but a cursory inspection revealed ordinary levels of radiation and chemical contamination. Commanders said they saw enough to call in a "sensitive site exploitation" team to conduct a more thorough analysis. "It could be nothing, but the obvious thing to do is clear the place and notify through the chain of command that we have found what may be a sensitive site," said the commander of the 7th Marine Regiment, Col. Steven Hummer, who visited the battalion to inspect the find. "The experts will be able to tell relatively soon."
Good idea. And try not to fall into the vats of mustard gas... |