Nuclear 9-11 is waiting to happen

Sacrificer           unknown
Sacrifice code       wfor0261
Sacrifice date       June 21, 2004

Nuclear 9-11 is waiting to happen. Uncle Sam should get busy in his
sphere of influence, Pakistan and really take real control of the Paki
nukes and nuke-related human and physical resources there. Good luck
to civilizations, while Uncle Sam continues to dance with the devil,
calling it the only game in town.

It is scary. But these days even scary scenarios do not seem to scare
Uncle Sam, the super cop. He can always appoint a Nuclear 9-11
Commission after the event. Sarcasm apart, it is time that the policy
makers in US accept the reality of Paki links with Libya, Saudi, Iran,
N. Korea, with the support of China, the officially recognized nuclear
supplier. US policy-makers are literally playing with fire.

Kalyanaraman

Moscow Times Monday, June 21, 2004.

Report: Dirty Bomb Attack Likely Despite G8 Controls

The Associated Press Terrorists are "all but certain" to set off a
radiological weapon in the United States, since it will take
authorities too many years to track and secure the radioactive
materials of such "dirty bombs," a team of nuclear researchers has
concluded.

The U.S. and other key governments took an important step on controls
this month, agreeing at the G8 summit to tighten -- by the end of 2005
-- restraints on international trade in highly radioactive materials.

But thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of high-risk radioactive
sources are already in use worldwide, with few accurate registries for
tracing them, the scientists say. They cite Iraq, where an
undetermined number of such sources has gone missing in the postwar
chaos.

The findings are being published in a 300-page book, "The Four Faces
of Nuclear Terrorism," the result of a two-year study by the Center
for Nonproliferation Studies of California's Monterey Institute of
International Studies.

Unlike warheads designed to kill and destroy through a huge nuclear
blast and heat, these radiation weapons -- which thus far no one has
employed -- would rely on conventional explosives to blow radioactive
material far and wide. A successful bomb could make a section of a
city uninhabitable for years.

The fear of such weapons grew in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks in the United States. Al-Qaida and Russia's Chechen rebels
have shown an interest in highly radioactive material.

The CNS researchers highlighted a major loophole in radioactive
commerce: U.S. and other exporters can ship high-risk sources abroad
without a government review of the end user, including to such
turmoil-ridden lands as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

In many "end-user" countries, the domestic regulation of radiological
sources is "fragmentary" at best, the study says. As a result, it
says, "a radiological attack appears to be all but certain within the
coming years."

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/06/21/253.html

June 21, 2004 SBS TV
DIRTY BOMB ALMOST CERTAIN SAY RESEARCHERS
21.6.2004. 09:35:43

A team of nuclear researchers has concluded that terrorists are "all
but certain" to set off a radiological weapon in the United States.

They say it's because it will take authorities too many years to track
and secure the radioactive materials for such "dirty bombs".

The United States and other key governments took an important step on
controls this month, agreeing at the G-8 summit to tighten restraints
on international trade in highly radioactive materials.

But the scientists say that thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of
high-risk radioactive sources are already in use worldwide, with few
accurate registries for tracing them.

They cite Iraq, where an undetermined number of such sources have gone
missing in the postwar chaos.

The findings are being published in a 300-page book, The Four Faces of
Nuclear Terrorism, the result of a two-year study by the authoritative
Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, or CNS, of California's Monterey
Institute of International Studies.

The team also examined the potential for terrorists to steal or build
an actual nuclear weapon, but found that less likely than the
construction of a radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb.

Unlike warheads designed to kill and destroy through a huge nuclear
blast and heat, these radiation weapons would rely on conventional
explosives to blow radioactive material far and wide.

A successful bomb could make a section of a city uninhabitable for years.

The fear of such weapons grew in the aftermath of the September 11
attacks in the United States. Al-Qaeda and Russia's Chechen rebels
have shown an interest in highly radioactive material.

http://www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=87651&region=4

June 20, 2004 Strait Times

'Dirty bomb' terror attack likely

The US government cannot track down and secure radioactive materials
used to make such devices in time, warns study

NEW YORK - The likelihood of terrorists setting off a 'dirty bomb' in
the United States is 'all but certain' as it will take the authorities
many years to track down and secure radioactive materials, a team of
nuclear researchers has concluded.

Smuggled ricin may be in Britain

LONDON - French police have warned that jars of ricin may have been
brought to Britain after being manufactured by an Islamic militant,
The Observer newspaper reported yesterday.

French investigators have been trying to track down dozens of jars of
the deadly poison suspected to have been made by Menad Benchellali,
arrested 18 months ago.

It is believed to have been stored in the form of a white powder in
jars of face cream.

A British police spokesman declined to comment. -- Reuters


The US and other key governments took an important step on controls
this month, agreeing at the Group of Eight summit to tighten - by the
end of next year - restraints on the international trade in highly
radioactive materials.

But thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of high-risk radioactive
sources are already in use worldwide, with few accurate registries for
tracing them, the team says.

It cites Iraq, where an undetermined number of such sources have gone
missing in the post-war chaos.

It has published the findings in a 300-page book, The Four Faces Of
Nuclear Terrorism, the result of a two-year study by the authoritative
Centre for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS).

The team also examined the potential for terrorists to steal or build
a nuclear weapon, but found that less likely than the construction of
a radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb.

Unlike warheads designed to kill and destroy through a huge nuclear
blast and heat, radiation weapons rely on conventional explosives to
blow radioactive material far and wide.

A successful bomb could make a section of a city uninhabitable for years.

The fear of such weapons grew in the aftermath of the Sept 11 attacks in the US.

Al-Qaeda and Russia's Chechen rebels have shown an interest in highly
radioactive material.

This month, for example, the Justice Department said Al-Qaeda-linked
detainee Jose Padilla planned to wrap explosives in uranium to make a
dirty bomb. But uranium would add nothing; it has minimal
radioactivity.

Instead, specialists who study the threat focus on isotopes with
millions of times more radioactivity than uranium - such as
cesium-137, cobalt-60 and iridium-192.

These nuclear reactor byproducts have uses ranging from radiation
treatment of cancer and sterilising food and medical equipment to
gauging thicknesses.

The CNS study notes steps taken by the US government, including:

An order quietly sent to operators of sterilising irradiators last
year instructing them to strengthen security against theft and attack.
These devices hold immense amounts of lethal radioisotopes.

Research to develop a substitute for cesium chloride, a talc-like
powder that could spread radioactivity widely and insidiously in a
blast. Experts consider it the most worrisome material in use.

Approval of sale of Prussian blue, a drug that counteracts ingested
cesium. The US military is 'fast-tracking' research into drugs to
treat a broader array of radioactive poisons.

The US alone has an estimated two million licensed radioactive
sources, thousands of them high-risk materials, the CNS reports.

But transfers are not always noted, and sources go astray.

The CNS researchers also highlighted a major loophole in radioactive
commerce: US and other exporters can ship high-risk sources abroad
without a government review of the end user, including to such
turmoil-ridden lands as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

As a result, it says, 'a radiological attack appears to be all but
certain within the coming years'. -- AP
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,257395,00.html

Fact Sheet on Dirty Bombs

Background

In order to better inform the public on what a dirty bomb is and what
terrorists might intend to try to accomplish in setting off such a
weapon, the following information is provided. Given the scores of
exercises-federal, state and local-being staged to assure that all
emergency response organizations are properly equipped, trained and
exercised to respond to terrorist chemical, biological or radiological
attack, we believe members of the public, as well as news
organizations, will value some concise, straightforward information.

Basically, the principal type of dirty bomb, or Radiological Dispersal
Device (RDD), combines a conventional explosive, such as dynamite,
with radioactive material. In most instances, the conventional
explosive itself would have more immediate lethality than the
radioactive material. At the levels created by most probable sources,
not enough radiation would be present in a dirty bomb to kill people
or cause severe illness. For example, most radioactive material
employed in hospitals for diagnosis or treatment of cancer is
sufficiently benign that about 100,000 patients a day are released
with this material in their bodies.

However, certain other radioactive materials, dispersed in the air,
could contaminate up to several city blocks, creating fear and
possibly panic and requiring potentially costly cleanup. Prompt,
accurate, non-emotional public information might prevent the panic
sought by terrorists.

A second type of RDD might involve a powerful radioactive source
hidden in a public place, such as a trash receptacle in a busy train
or subway station, where people passing close to the source might get
a significant dose of radiation.

A dirty bomb is in no way similar to a nuclear weapon. The presumed
purpose of its use would be therefore not as a Weapon of Mass
Destruction but rather as a Weapon of Mass Disruption.

Impact of a Dirty Bomb

The extent of local contamination would depend on a number of factors,
including the size of the explosive, the amount and type of
radioactive material used, and weather conditions. Prompt
detectability of the kind of radioactive material employed would
greatly assist local authorities in advising the community on
protective measures, such as quickly leaving the immediate area, or
going inside until being further advised. Subsequent decontamination
of the affected area could involve considerable time and expense.

Sources of Radioactive Material

Radioactive materials are widely used at hospitals, research
facilities, industrial and construction sites. These radioactive
materials are used for such purposes as in diagnosing and treating
illnesses, sterilizing equipment, and inspecting welding seams. For
example, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, together with 32 states
which regulate radioactive material, have over 21,000 organizations
licensed to use such materials. The vast majority of these sources are
not useful for constructing an RDD.

Control of Radioactive Material

NRC and state regulations require licensees to secure radioactive
material from theft and unauthorized access. These measures have been
stiffened since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Licensees must
promptly report lost or stolen material. Local authorities make a
determined effort to find and retrieve such sources. Most reports of
lost or stolen material involve small or short-lived radioactive
sources not useful for an RDD.

Past experience suggests there has not been a pattern of collecting
such sources for the purpose of assembling a dirty bomb. Only one
high-risk radioactive source has not been recovered in the last five
years in the United States. However, this source (Iridium-192) would
no longer be considered a high-risk source because much of the
radioactivity has decayed away since it was reported stolen in 1999.
In fact, the combined total of all unrecovered sources over a 5-year
time span would barely reach the threshold for one high-risk
radioactive source. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said world-wide.
The U.S. Government is working to strengthen controls on high-risk
radioactive sources both at home and abroad.

What People Should Do Following an Explosion
Move away from the immediate area--at least several blocks from the
explosion--and go inside. This will reduce exposure to any radioactive
airborne dust.

Turn on local radio or TV channels for advisories from emergency response and health authorities.

If facilities are available, remove clothes and place them in a sealed
plastic bag. Saving contaminated clothing will allow testing for
radiation exposure.

Take a shower to wash off dust and dirt. This will reduce total
radiation exposure, if the explosive device contained radioactive
material.

If radioactive material was released, local news broadcasts will
advise people where to report for radiation monitoring and blood and
other tests to determine whether they were in fact exposed and what
steps to take to protect their health.

Risk of Cancer

Just because a person is near a radioactive source for a short time or
gets a small amount of radioactive dust on himself or herself does not
mean he or she will get cancer. The additional risk will likely be
very small. Doctors will be able to assess the risks and suggest
mitigating measures once the radioactive source and exposure level
have been determined.

It should be noted that Potassium Iodide (KI) would not be protective
except in the very unlikely event that the dirty bomb contained
radioactive iodine isotopes in large quantities. Radioactive iodine
isotopes are not particularly attractive for use in an RDD for a
variety of technical reasons. KI only protects the thyroid from
radioactive iodine, but offers no protection to other parts of the
body or against other radioactive isotopes.

A number of federal agencies have responsibilities for dealing with
possible detonations of dirty bombs. Reporters or other interested
parties may wish to check out their websites. In addition, their
offices of public affairs stand ready to promptly answer press
questions on the subject or to provide access to experts in and out of
government. Their websites and phone numbers follow:

Department of Energy: www.energy.gov/ ; tel 202-586-4940.
Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov ; tel 202-564-9828.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission: www.nrc.gov; tel 301-415-8200.
Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov ; tel 202-646-4600.
Department of Justice: www.usdoj.gov ; tel 202-514-2007.
Federal Bureau of Investigation: www.fbi.gov ; tel 202-324-3691.
Department of Health and Human Services: www.hhs.gov ; tel 202-690-6343.
Department of Homeland Security: www.dhs.gov ; tel 202-282-8010.
Transportation Security Administration: www.tsa.gov/public/ ; tel 571-227-2829.
National Nuclear Security Administration: www.nnsa.doe.gov/ ; tel 202-586-7371.

March 2003
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/dirty-bombs.html

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