Posted on 03/13/2010 5:12:39 AM PST by ricks_place
An American seized in Yemen in a sweep of suspected al-Qaida members had been a laborer at six U.S. nuclear power plants, and authorities are investigating whether he had access to sensitive information or materials that would be useful to terrorists.
Sharif Mobley, 26, worked for contractors at plants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland from 2002 to 2008, mostly hauling materials and setting up scaffolding, plant officials said.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said Friday that investigations are under way into which areas Mobley entered. But he noted that areas containing nuclear fuel are tightly controlled, and that a laborer typically would not have access to security information or other sensitive matters.
The plants are also checking areas where Mobley worked to ensure everything is in order, said NRC spokeswoman Diane Screnci.
Mobley, a U.S. citizen of Somali descent, has not been linked to any wrongdoing at any of the plants. And officials said nothing he did when he worked there aroused any suspicion.
Officials said Mobley passed the necessary screenings, which include criminal background checks, drug testing, psychological assessments and identity verification.
Nevertheless, Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, an industry watchdog, said the case raises questions about security at the nation's nuclear plants.
"The real question is: Was there information that the NRC or utilities could have seen that would have led to his disqualification?" Lyman said.
Mobley, a Muslim who grew up in Buena, N.J., was among 11 al-Qaida suspects rounded up earlier this month in Yemen. He was taken to a hospital there over the weekend after he complained of feeling ill. Yemeni officials said he snatched a gun and shot a security guard to death in an attempt to escape from the hospital.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs3.com ...
Now there is an oxy-moron if I ever saw one.
He worked at Peach Bottom, Limerick and TMI.
Outage contractor? Nah, unless he was working for Bartlett or another group doing work “in the can”, he didn’t get into any really sensitive areas—but he WAS inside the Protected Area, which if you haven’t committed any crimes and if you can pass the psych screen, you can pass the security screening.
"Mobley, a U.S. citizen of Somali descent, has not been linked to any wrongdoing at any of the plants.
And officials said nothing he did when he worked there aroused any suspicion."
Sound like this terrorist was CHOSEN. He was INSERTED.
... and in at LEAST 6 nuclear plants, as the US borders have been kept deliberately open.
Why would anything be found to "arouse suspicion"
by those who INSERTED him and did NOTHING (think Hasan).
Wonder how high up the coverup goes in the Army and in the NRC?
well there ya go again...picking on harmless, peace loving mohammedians.......
bump
;)
Any picture of him??
I'd feel safer sleeping on top a reactor chamber than I would in my own bed. These places are very strict and everything is very tightly controlled.
Even if one of these facilites were the target of an armed assault, it may leave innocents unprotected and dead, but there is a slim possibility of anyone gaining access to an area they could use to do serious damage. These places are like a bunker and are locked down in logical and cellular layouts.
America what a great country!
No doubt. Lots of guards with violin cases. I doubt anyone who tried to do something would live very long.
My guess is this is less about sabotage and more about intelligence gathering.
“Hello, ladies. Look at your man. Now back to me. Now back at your man. Now back to me....”
Oh, you are SO sceptical! Everyone knows that experienced employees are hard to find.
Plus, I bet this employee really impressed supervisors by his enthusiasm. I bet he loved his workplace so much he was constantly drawing maps of it and taking notes about it!
Experts can say that these reactors are safe and that terrorists could do little destruction. Even if that is true, though, can you imagine the MSM response if a nuclear power plant is taken over by a terror cell?
Think about that for a bit and then tell me why they have to do any real physical damage to create complete chaos in this country.
Think about that for a bit and then tell me why they have to do any real physical damage to create complete chaos in this country.
The Three Mile Island incident in 1979 produced no injuries nor any significant radiation leakage outside the plant, yet effectively shut down the US nuclear power industry.
The Tet Offensive resulted in the military defeat of the Viet Cong, but the political defeat of the US government.
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