19 Workers Suspended at Los Alamos (UC 'too comfortable, too arrogant to properly manage)

WND ^ | July 23, 2004 | BARRY MASSEY

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Today: July 23, 2004 at 6:42:27 PDT

19 Workers Suspended at Los Alamos By BARRY MASSEY ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) - Nineteen employees at Los Alamos National Laboratory were suspended with pay while officials investigate security and safety breaches, including the disappearance of two computer disks with classified information.

Lab Director Pete Nanos announced the actions Thursday as the lab and the University of California, which manages the facility for the Department of Energy, came under renewed criticism in Congress for the latest in a series of security problems.

"I am fed up with the careless way the laboratory has been run," said Sen. Wayne Allard, who introduced legislation to terminate the university's contract to run the lab.

"Clearly, after 60 years of managing Los Alamos for the federal government, the University of California has grown too comfortable, too arrogant to properly manage this national security asset," the Colorado Republican said in a statement.

Nanos said 15 of the workers were suspended because of the two computer disks that were discovered missing July 7. Of those 15, 11 had access to a safe where the classified material was stored.

The other four employees were put on leave because of an accident this month involving a 20-year-old student intern. The woman suffered a retinal lesion from a laser, lab officials have said.

Nanos said the workers were barred from the lab until their cases are resolved.

He didn't identify the workers or their jobs, but said the suspensions cover "virtually all levels of management and employment."

Nanos said some workers remain in "almost suicidal denial" about the extent of Los Alamos' problems and told employees that continued security lapses threaten the future of the lab, not just the university's management contract.

It's possible, he said, the government could shift research and nuclear weapons work to other labs or even consider closing Los Alamos.

[GeronL]

A guy named David Banner was hit with a Gamma Ray Laser in the eye??

That wouldn't be David Bruce Banner would it?

Don't make him angry, we wouldn't like it when he's angry

[Waco]

The colleges are hotbeds of commenism nowadays. naturaly, that's who we should put in charge of the management of our nuke labs, right? Sure, that's it.

[Fenris6]

I hear Sandy Berger is looking for work