U.N. Investigators Warn of Terrorism Risk Posed by Uranium Mining in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Illicit mining at a closed uranium mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo poses a terrorism risk, U.N. investigators warned yesterday (see GSN, June 1).

The U.N. mission in the African nation yesterday called on the Congolese government to exercise tighter control over the Shinkolobwe mine. Roughly 15,000 miners have ignored Congolese President Joseph Kabila’s order earlier this year to end activity at the mine, according to the Associated Press.

U.N. investigators have “recommended that this mine be secured and put in the charge of a private operation for much more disciplined operations, with the aim of avoiding risks including the high rate of radioactivity ... and uranium trafficking with those who shouldn’t get it in their hands,” U.N. mission spokesman Alexandre Essome said (Associated Press/News24.com, July 20).

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