Georgian Court Upholds Uranium-Smuggling Conviction

Russian citizen Khiltsagov's eight-year sentence was upheld (ITAR-TASS) March 31, 2007 -- A Georgian court on March 30 upheld the conviction of a Russian citizen who smuggled weapons-grade uranium to an agent posing as a rich foreign buyer.

Oleg Khinsagov was caught early last year trying to sell about 100 grams of uranium that was enriched to a level suitable for use in a nuclear weapon.

A Georgian court sentenced him to eight years in prison for smuggling. The sentence was appealed. The Tbilisi Court of Appeals rejected that motion.

(AP)