Widespread anxiety among Israelis over reports that Egypt had acquired large quantities of deadly cobalt 60 and strontium 90 were met today by assertions from Israeli sources that Egypt had not acquired the radioactive materials.
Prof. Otto Jokelik had testified during his trial in Basle yesterday that Egypt had obtained the radioactive materials. However, the Israeli sources said that Egyptian efforts to get the materials had failed and that Egypt had actually obtained only a small amount of cobalt 60 which was sent to an Egyptian hospital as a diversion action since the radioactive metal also is used for medical purposes.
Later, it was asserted, the cobalt 60 was transferred to Egyptian military plant No. 333, which is operating under West German scientists’ supervision. Egypt tried to get 500,000 curies of cobalt 60 but failed both in West Germany and in India, the Israelis were told. Evening newspapers in Israel carried a report that “the danger is not so great” because Egypt actually does not have the radioactive materials in quantity.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
