'British MoD warned of uranium dangers four years ago'

The British Ministry of Defence warned four years ago that exposure to depleted uranium increased the risk of developing lung, lymph and brain cancers, it has been claimed.

The warning in an internal MoD document is in contrast to the British Government's insistence this week that depleted uranium (DU) posed no risk to British troops.

The leaked Army medical report is dated March 4, 1997 and stated that exposure to dust from exploded depleted uranium could lead to cancer.

"Inhalation of insoluble uranium dioxide dust will lead to accumulation in the lungs with very slow clearance - if any," it read.

"Although the chemical toxicity is low, there may be localised radiation damage of the lung leading to cancer. Uranium compound dust is therefore hazardous."

But the MoD dismissed the report as a "discredited" draft paper, saying it had been prepared by a trainee and had not been endorsed by more senior staff.

In a statement, the MoD said: "Although much of the summary is correct, certain elements are scientifically incorrect or misleading.

"We are clear about the potential hazards of DU and believe that although it was possible that small quantities of DU dust may have been inhaled or ingested by those taking part in the Gulf conflict, we believe the health risks, both radiological and toxic, to have been small."

Britain's shadow defence secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "These documents suggest that the MoD was aware that there was a risk. If this was the case, ministers must explain when they found out about the risk, what precautions they took and why they have point-blank refused to say that they knew anything at all about it.

"If they are claiming that the evidence in this document was flawed, they should now release the new evidence that disproved it. "