defects. Researchers discovered that almost two-thirds of local shepherds had cancer, which has been blamed on thorium dust and depleted uranium. Former commanders of the site have since been made to appear before the Italian courts. References External links ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND HEALTH EFFECTS IN THE QUIRRA AREA, SARDINIA ISLAND (ITALY) AND THE DEPLETED URANIUM CASE, Massimo Zucchetti http://www.libreidee.org/en/tag/sindrome-di-quirra/|the Italian Chernobyl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzeMPuGBjYE Italian documentary https://web.archive.org/web/20050204162254/http://www.univ-perp.fr/fuseurop/salto_e.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20050416041249/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/saluirra.htm Satellite picture Geography of Sardinia Rocket launch sites Buildings and structures in Sardinia Spaceports in Europe