Abstract:

On November 2, 2007, the representative of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA), Maizer Liparteliani, told the news media and press that an attempt to smuggle radioactive cesium-137 from the Gali district of the breakaway region of Abkhazia into Georgia proper was thwarted in the town of Zugdidi in Western Georgia.[1] According to Mr. Liparteliani, the patrol police officers from the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional unit discovered the container with cesium-137 when they stopped the passenger vehicle for routine violation of road rules.[1] It must be noted that apart from the container with unspecified amount of cesium-137, the Georgian police officers found the special device for opening the aforementioned container as well as the detonators.[2] Both the driver of the car, Ruben Gabisonia (who is also referred to as Ariko Gabisonia in the news report circulated by the Information-Analytical Web Portal Gruziya Online), and his passenger, Mokona Chketia (in the Gruziya Online news report she is mentioned as Megona Chkhetia) were arrested. [1,2] According to Gabisonia, he received the container with cesium-137 from the head of the counterintelligence department of the secessionist government of Abkhazia, Alik Arshba at the Gali district police headquarters.[1,2,3] Gabisonia was instructed to transfer cesium-137 to an unidentified person in Zugdidi. Gabisonia claimed that the intended recipient contacted him by cell phone and that he did not know who he was.[1,2,4] The Georgian law enforcement authorities subsequently floated one possible scenario, according to which, the seized cesium-137 was to be used in a radiological dispersal device (RDD) or a “dirty bomb” to be detonated in a crowded public area. [2,4] This scenario is at least partially based on the statements of Gabisonia, who also claimed that the cesium-137 was to be placed in the public place in Zugdidi.[1]

The de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, Sergei Shamba, categorically denied any connection between Abkhazia and the radioactive container found in Zugdidi. Commenting on the incident, Mr. Shamba stated: “Theoretically an automobile with such cargo could not get to Zugdidi from Gali district because control on our roads is strengthened due to the recent provocations by the Georgian side.” [4,5] Furthermore, in the phone interview with the Russian news agency Novosti, the plenipotentiary representative of the de facto president of Abkhazia in the Gali district, Ruslan Kishmarya, stated that it was impossible that the radioactive cesium-137 could have passed unnoticed through the checkpoints set up by the CIS peacekeepers and Abkhaz police. “From Gali to the border with Georgia is 13 km. We have two police checkpoints set up on this stretch. Even to bring a cargo like that into the Gali district would be a problem. Entry and exit points from the security zone in the Gali district are guarded by the checkpoints of peacekeeping forces, who stop literally every car and carry out inspections for weapons, munitions and explosives,” explained Kishmarya. [6]

The initial news report broadcast by the Rustavi-2 television channel incorrectly described radioisotope cesium-137 as “a highly explosive and poisonous substance used for military purposes.”[1] Moreover, the Rustavi-2 erroneously reported that the Georgian police found 80 kg of cesium-137, whereas in reality this estimate referred to the total weight of the container in which the unspecified amount of cesium-137 was stored.[1,7] Inaccurate reference to the characteristics and weight of the cesium-137 found in Zugdidi was later repeated by the NewsGeorgia on-line wire service.[3] It is more likely that the real amount of cesium-137 was in milligrams rather than kilograms.[7] As of early November, the origin and composition of seized radioisotope were being investigated, according to the head of the Administration of MIA, Shota Khizanishvili.[3]

Editor’s Note: Cesium-137 is a potent radioactive isotope, which is used in a wide variety of instruments in industry and medicine, but which can also be used in the production of the radiological dispersal device (RDD) or a “dirty bomb” to cause extensive radioactive contamination in densely populated areas. The degree of the public health hazard posed by the RDD with cesium-137 core depends on a number of factors, including weather conditions and specific physical shape in which this radioisotope is obtained. Thus, more radioactive contamination should be expected if cesium-137 is in the form of the talcum powder and less if it is in the form of pellets. A few curies of cesium-137 could pose a considerable danger to the public.

Abstract Number:  20070330
Headline:  Cesium-137 Seized in Zugdidi, Western Georgia
Date:  2 November 2007
Author:  Alexander Melikishvili, Center for Nonproliferation Studies
Material:  Radioactive isotopes, Cesium-137

Sources:

[1] “V Gruzii presechena popytka vvoza s territorii Abkhazii ‘Tseziya 137’” (An attempt to bring cesium-137 from the territory of Abkhazia is thwarted in Georgia), Information-Analytical Portal Gruziya Online, November 2, 2007, <http://www.apsny.ge/news/1194031045.php>.
[2] “Georgia: 80 kg of caesium [sic] seized near breakaway Abkhazia,” Excerpt from Rustavi-2 report, November 2, 2007; BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, November 2, 2007; Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, <http://www.lexisnexis.com>.
[3] Elena Partsvaniya, “V Zugdidi izyato vzryvoopasnoe veshchestvo – TV” (An explosive substance is seized in Zugdidi – TV), NewsGeorgia, November 2, 2007, <http://www.newsgeorgia.ru>.
[4] “Zaderzhan avtomobil s radioaktivnym gruzom, prednaznachayushchimsya dlya ispolzovaniya v mestakh skopleniya lyudey” (An automobile with radioactive cargo intended for use in the public places is seized), Noviy Region, November 2, 2007, <http://www.nregion.com/>.
[5] “V Sukhumi oprovergayut prichastnost Abkhazii k radioaktivnomu gruzu” (In Sukhumi the connection between Abkhazia and radioactive cargo is denied), Russian News & Information Agency Novosti, November 2, 2007, <http://www.rian.ru/politics/20071102/86427236.html>.
[6] “Tseziy ne mog popast v Gzuiyu iz Sukhumi, ubezhden polpred glavy Abkhazii” (Cesium could not get to Georgia from Sukhumi, plenipotentiary representative of president of Abkhazia is convinced), Russian News & Information Agency Novosti, November 2, 2007, <http://www.rian.ru/politics/20071102/86452125.html>.
[7] CNS e-mail communication with the official from the Nuclear and Radioactive Safety Service of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, November 18, 2007. {Entered 07/14/08 AL}