Are the ingredients in place for a dirty bomb at the Fleet Center in Boston?

7-12-04 | Doug from Upland

[doug from upland]

The headline reflects one of the many possible scenarios considered by the radical Islamists who want us all dead. They don't care if they kill Republicans or Democrats, hawks or war protestors, Rush Limbaugh or their pal Michael Moore.

Do they have a scenario for an attack on the DemocRATic National Convention at the Fleet Center in Boston scheduled for July 26-29? Consider the following:

ITEM: On or about April 8, 2004, a 9200-gallon fuel transport truck was stolen from TK Transport Terminal in Pennsauken, NJ. It has not been recovered.

ITEM: On April 21, 2004, two pieces of highly radioactive fuel rods were stolen from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. They have not been recovered.

ITEM: Hussain Al-Hussaini, implicated in the Oklahoma City bombing by Jayna Davis in her blockbuster, THE THIRD TERRORIST, has a last known location in, you guessed it, Boston, MA. Al-Hussaini has had several jobs at gas stations. He only works the graveyard shift, a shift at which a tanker truck might be filled over time without too much notice.

ITEM: Those in charge of security at the DNC convention are so worried about the close proximity of I-93 to the Fleet Center, that the freeway will be closed in both directions the four nights of the convention.

What are the plans to stop a fully loaded tanker truck? How close might it be able to get to the Fleet Center?

I am sure that DNC security officials, the FBI, local and state agencies, and the Secret Service have considered hundreds of scenarios. This is probably one of them.

[brownsfan]

"Why would the terrorists attack their allies in America (aka Democrats)?"

To me it makes the ultimate sense. If the terroists attack the Republicans, they galvanize the resolve of Republicans for the WOT. Not to mention, the far left would cheer it, and thus not really be affected. However, if they attack the Democrats, then the left goes into full appeasement mode. The Dems would do a "Spain", and in their crying, they would pull some of the swing vote out of pure sympathy.

Bottom line: More to gain attacking Dems than the Republicans. IMHO.

[kjam22]

There is no agitator in a tankor truck. The only pressure in the tanker truck is created by the chemical makeup of the contents. The fact that certain chemicals inside the truck are exceeding their boiling point. That's the bottom line. I'm sorry you don't understand that.

[doug from upland]

Does anyone know the approximate weight of a fuel truck with 9200 gallons of fuel? It may be very hard to stop, especially if the cab is reinforced with steel, has bullet resistant glazing, and special tires.

[azhenfud]

gasoline 6.9 lbs/gallon

8000 gallons/max = 55,200 lbs - roughly

[VOA]

Two years ago, I did a risk analysis at a major hospital in Southern California. It would
have been very easy to steal radioactive waste from that facility. I am sure it
still can be done at many hospitals and other facilities by determined
terrorists, especially if they have insiders in the hospital.

Having spent about 20 years using radioisotopes in research and medical labs
(public and private), I can attest that your analysis is correct and still operative.

I had a conversation with a Radiation Safety Office at a major research university
six months ago. He said that things have tightened up a bit post 9-11...but still it
would only require "some inside people" to get the materials for a dirty bomb.

[ladyjane]

So do you think they'd let a septic tanker near the center? You know, the kind that sucks up stuff from the porta-potties?

[Petronski]

gasoline 6.9 lbs/gallon

Closer to 6.2lbs/gal.

About 49,600 lbs. Not to bicker, though. ;O)

[xrp]

LNG stands for liquified natural gas.

Not when Ted Kennedy is concerned.

[j_tull]

plutoniun -- are nearly worthless as dirty bomb material.

Widespread airborne alpha contamination not a problem?

[doug from upland]

Yes, and they have inside people and sympathizers all over. What would it take to bribe an illegal alien who has false documents? He could take several thousand dollars and run back home. How many Islamic sympathizers are are our university hospitals?

[doug from upland]

Add the weight of the truck itself. That would be a difficult object to stop. What do they do, shoot at it? And make it blowup enroute in a very crowded city?

[Petronski]

Based only on publically available information, you've come up with a very plausible scenario. Certainly racing toward a crowded convention center and detonating a hole in the tank during the last seconds as it closes on the center could/would create quite a terror event.

[Final Authority]

As far as I know a truck with 9200 gals of fuel is overweight as fuel weighs about 8.2 lbs per gal and this would place the truck overweight for most roads and bridges. Trucks are allowed 88,000 lbs for the most part and with a 75K lb load such a truck would weigh over 100K lbs. There might be exceptions for trucks with tag axles and extra trucks but I am not aware of this. If any truck is used to cause mayhem it will be a local delivery truck loaded with explosives. I suspect a serious terrorist would simply hire a sign maker who make vinyl coverings to make a covering to imitate a local company and make up local packing slips and invoices to get past checkpoints. Back up to the loading dock and Boom. Needless to say, if I can see this and if it as easy as I can state it then security will be a major effort and not too trivial.

[bert]

better

[bikepacker67]

I think you missed the play on words.

Actually, no I didn't.

Which is why I chalked it up to flippancy.

[Petronski]

Gasoline is between 5.8 and 6.5 pounds per gallon, depending on formulation. What fuel weighs 8.2 (i.e. sinks in water)?

[js1138]

Widespread airborne alpha contamination not a problem?

And how do you propose to get a bar of plutonium dispersed as an aerosol?

[azhenfud]

Yeah, I realized my bad.

Too much lead, ya think?

[Final Authority]

I referenced Google with respect to the mass of gasoline and I misspoke when I said it was about 8.2 lbs per gallon, it is more like 6.3. The weight of the truck would therefore be legal and heavy but it will not even get close to the Fleet as the highway will be closed for at least 8 miles before the Fleet from the north and the fuel trucks are not allowed to go through the tunnel from the south.

[doug from upland]

How is the freeway going to be blocked? By some cars and barriers? How would that stop the truck?