No sign of uranium weapons used in Lebanon-UNEP

NAIROBI, Nov 7 (Reuters) UN experts have found no sign that depleted uranium weapons were used in Lebanon during the war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said today.

''All remnants of weapons found at sites visited ... could be identified as being weapons of well-known design,'' it said in a statement after UNEP scientists visited southern Lebanon from September 30-October 21.

''The samples taken by the UNEP scientists show no evidence of penetrators or metal made of depleted uranium or other radioactive material,'' it said, adding there were no signs of uranium-based hrapnel or residues.

Israel has denied a report in a British newspaper suggesting that it used uranium-based weapons during the inconclusive war in July and August against Syrian-backed Hezbollah.

Reuters AKJ GC2240