W. African Man In Federal Court Accused Of Trying To Ship Uranium

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/AP) — A Sierra Leone man is expected to appear in a South Florida federal courtroom for a bail hearing as he faces charges of plotting to ship uranium ore to Iran.

A criminal complaint charges 33-year-old Patrick Campbell of Freetown, Sierra Leone, with attempting to violate the U.S. embargo against Iran. A bail hearing was set Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale. He hasn't entered a plea.

Authorities say Campbell was working with a South Florida-based broker on a deal to ship tons of uranium ore known as yellowcake to Iran. The ore can be used for nuclear fuel or weapons.

It turned out the broker was actually an undercover U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

Campbell was arrested in August at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Agents found uranium samples in his luggage.

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