Posted on 11/03/2006 3:48:38 PM PST by george76
Data Found In Drug Raid Contains Weapons-Design Secrets.
The recent security breach at Los Alamos National Laboratory was very serious, with sensitive materials being taken out of the facility — possibly including information on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons, officials tell CBS News.
Officials say there is no evidence the information taken from Los Alamos was sold or transferred to anybody else, but there is no way to be sure right now.
As CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson was the first to report, secret documents apparently taken from the lab were found during a drug raid at a Los Alamos-area home last month. The FBI was called in to investigate.
Multiple sources now tell CBS News that the material includes sensitive weapons-design data.
A federal official who has been briefed on the issue said at least three USB thumb-drives were involved. Those small storage drives contained 408 separate classified documents ranging in importance from Secret National Security Information (pertaining to intelligence) to Secret Restricted Data (pertaining to nuclear weapons).
The woman believed to have taken the information — Jessica Quintana, 22, who owned the trailer — worked in three classified vault rooms across Los Alamos:
Safeguards and Security (relating to strategic nuclear material control and accountability)
X-Division (top secret)
Physics P-Division.
The woman had top secret "Q-clearance" with access to all the U.S. underground nuclear test data. Additionally, she had "Sigma 15" clearance, which allows her access to info on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons. Quintana has not been arrested or charged.
For example, if a terrorist steals an American nuclear weapon, he could not detonate it due to the special access controls. This woman is authorized to read the reports that tell how to get around those safety controls.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Honest to Gosh, I'm going to go live in a cave and spend my time polishing my assault rifles.
I never even heard of top secret "Q-clearance"
And yet again.....thanks Bill Richardson!
He thinks he's presidential material but he can't even keep the gate locked at Los Alamos....I've lost track of the number of breaches/thefts on his watch!
Who is securing this facility? Mall Cops?
Clinton may have started this lax, to put it mildly, atmosphere of security, but he hasn't been in office in six years.
I never even heard of top secret "Q-clearance"
I think John Kerry has one of those,
he's always going on about being clearly "Q".
The woman had top secret "Q-clearance" with access to all the U.S. underground nuclear test data. Additionally, she had "Sigma 15" clearance...
I'm not a security expert or anything, but shouldn't these two statements be mutually exclusive?
I think it's only Dept of Energy.
It's a Department of Energy clearance level.
I am wondering what kind of work this woman does. She is only 22 which would make you think she would be either a new hire engineer or an IT type.
I think it is roughly equivalent of a DOD Top Secret, but there are differences.
Thanks
So the woman had a Q clearance, which is pretty common for DOE workers, including the IT staff, and also had access to Sigma 15 data, which would be an additional access level.
I figure the DOE needs some lessons from the DOD on securing a facility. A lock down with 100% inspection would be a good start.
I think mall cops would do a better job than this.
top secret "Q-clearance" with access to all the U.S. underground nuclear test data...
at 22 years old !
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