A man in his 60s has been arrested under terrorism laws after traces of uranium were found in a cargo package at Heathrow Airport.
Police said the man was arrested in Cheshire on Saturday and later released on bail.
Border Force officers found a small amount of uranium in a consignment of scrap metal after a routine check at Heathrow Airport on 29 December.
Commander Richard Smith, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, said: “I want to be clear that despite making this arrest and based on what we know at the moment, this incident does not yet appear to be linked to direct threat to the public.
“However, detectives are continuing their inquiries to ensure that this is definitely the case.”
The man has been released on bail until a date in April, police said in a statement.
Officers said they did not find any other hazardous material at the Cheshire address, but the offense the man has been charged with relates to the manufacture or possession of radioactive material.
The uranium arrived on a flight from Oman after departing from Pakistan, sources told Sky.
Uranium can be used for civilian power generation and scientific purposes, and is a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.
Some isotopes emit radiation that can be harmful to humans, and the metal itself is toxic if swallowed or inhaled.
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