By CAHAL MILMO Herald correspondent
LONDON - British veterans groups yesterday demanded a public inquiry into the use of depleted uranium ammunition, after it was confirmed that the weapons had been routinely fired at military ranges in Britain.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that armour-piercing tank shells containing the radioactive substance had been tested since 1990 at training grounds in Cumbria and the Solway Firth in Scotland.
The revelations come just days after demands from Britain's European Union allies for an inquiry into a "Balkans Syndrome" among soldiers following the use of depleted uranium (DU) by Allied forces in Kosovo and Bosnia.
Up to 15 soldiers who served in the region, including six from Italy and five Belgium, have since died from leukaemia - leading to calls for the Government to screen British troops for excessive DU levels.
The Governments in Italy and Portugal, where two soldiers have died, have already set up their own investigations into possible links between DU munitions and cancer.
Confirmation yesterday that the ammunition is also being used in Britain drew an angry response from politicians and watchdogs about its potential effects on civilians and the environment.
Tony Flint, spokesman for the National Gulf War Veterans Association, said: "We have been saying for years that there are genuine questions to be answered on DU.
"If it is being tested close to civilian populations then it is a matter for a public inquiry. The MoD are acting like ostriches with their heads in the sand on this issue. They ... are hoping that it will simply go away. The fact is, it won't."
Opposition politicians and two Labour MPs, including former Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle, have called for fresh research into the effects of DU and a moratorium on its use.
UK veterans seek ammo inquiry
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