to hurt innocent people.
We should give these terrorists EXACTLY what they are hitting us with (and more)
NEVER FORGET and then dont hesitate.
Posted on 10/31/2001 3:55:37 PM PST by blam
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 01 2001
Terrorists 'could make atom bomb by raiding hospitals'
BY MARK HENDERSON, SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT
TERRORISTS seeking radioactive material for use in a “dirty” atomic bomb could steal it from hospitals, which lack the security to prevent such a theft, the world’s nuclear watchdog said yesterday.
Isotopes that could be packed with explosives in a crude but deadly nuclear device are commonly used in cancer treatment, yet are rarely protected by adequate security, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
Standards in many parts of the world are so poor that such radioactive sources are effectively “orphaned” of any regulatory control, and would be simple to steal. Many are currently unaccounted for, and may already have fallen into the hands of terrorists, the agency said.
Tens of thousands of radiation sources are used around the world in radiotherapy, with many more found in other medical, industrial and food irradiation devices.
Abel Gonzalez, the agency’s director of radiation and waste safety, said the lack of security surrounding them was almost an invitation to terrorists, particularly those who, like the September 11 attackers, would not be deterred by the great personal danger they would face by handling such material.
“Security of radioactive materials has traditionally been relatively light,” he said. “There are few security precautions on radiotherapy equipment and a large source could be removed quite easily, especially if those involved have no regard for their own health.
“Moreover, in many countries, the regulatory oversight of radiation sources is weak.
“We are dealing with a totally new equation since September 11. The deadliness of handling intensely radioactive material can no longer be seen as an effective deterrent.”
The potential effects of a dirty bomb, the agency said, are shown by an incident in Goiânia in Brazil in 1987, when a highly radioactive caesium-137 source was stolen from an abandoned radiological clinic by scrap-metal thieves. The 20-gramme capsule was cut into pieces, and the thieves handed sections to friends and family members to sell on. As a result, 14 people, four of whom died, suffered radiation burns and another 249 were contaminated. More than 110,000 people had to be monitored for exposure over the following months.
A dirty bomb detonated in a major city might be expected to have similar effects. The death toll might not be high, but the impact on the city would be great.
Western intelligence sources said that such an attack was possible but unlikely. “Of course this is something that terror groups could do, but the worry is that we are being unnecessarily alarmist about al-Qaeda’s likely tactics,” one source said.
“The morbid fear is that even with a minuscule amount of radoactive material packed into a conventional bomb, it would cause mayhem with people for miles around afraid of being contaminated.”
Osama bin Laden may have access to such material in Afghanistan, he added. “There are hospitals in Kabul which had cancer and x-ray equipment that was provided by the Red Cross and other international organisations so it is on his own doorstep.”
In Britain, security of medical radioactive sources is governed by the Radioactive Substances Act, which requires hospitals to keep a precise account of where its materials are. Access is tightly controlled, and all materials are shielded and inspected by the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.
“Every hospital must account for every source in its possession, and waste material must also be disposed of properly,” Michael Clark of the National Radiological Protection Board said.
Most radiotherapy devices in Britain rely on isotopes such as iridium-192 and iodine-131. These would cause serious contamination if used in a dirty bomb, but would be unlikely to cause large numbers of deaths. Some hospitals keep several hundred grammes of such material.
The IAEA, which is holding a symposium of experts on nuclear terrorism this week at its headquarters in Vienna, also gave warning of the dangers of an attack on a nuclear power station.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the agency’s director-general, said: “After September 11, we realised that nuclear facilities — like dams, refineries, chemical production facilities or skyscrapers — have their vulnerabilities. There is no sanctuary any more, no safety zone.
“We are not just dealing with the possibility of governments diverting nuclear materials into clandestine weapons programmes. Now we have been alerted to the potential of terrorists targeting nuclear facilities or using radioactive sources to incite panic, contaminate property and even cause injury or death among civilian populations.”
We should give these terrorists EXACTLY what they are hitting us with (and more)
NEVER FORGET and then dont hesitate.
"OK, everybody, fire drill!"
"Cool your jets, dude, it's on SAFE."
Think...THINK...!!!I got it off the internet!
I understand. I'm mad enough to bite the heads off nails.
Did any of these idiots get a Darwin Award?
BTW: Every Arab and Muslim in the U.S. who is not a citizen of the U.S. should be rounded up and deported.
That's right. We're hearing so much about blowing radioactive garbage over part of a city block that we lose sight of the explosive power of a true atom bomb. There is no equivalence between nuclear fallout and radioactive contamination.
By the way, potassium iodide would not provide any significant radiation protection from from this type of radiation exposure. I have been reading other threads that are filled with misinformation about what KI (potassium iodide) can and cannot do for radioprotection. Its only use is with fissionable byproducts of a full nuclear chain reaction which produces Iodine-131 which is taken up by the thyroid and can increase the risk of thyroid tumors (benign and malignant) after a latent period of up to 15 years (not the type of problem with a "dirty" nuke). If there is a fissionable nuclear attack, concern about cancers 10-15 years in the future will probably be the least of anyone's concern. KI will not protect the bone marrow from gamma radiation, the lungs from inhaled plutonium dust, or the skin from radiation burns secondary to contact from fallout.
That's right. We're hearing so much about blowing radioactive garbage over part of a city block that we lose sight of the explosive power of a true atom bomb. There is no equivalence between nuclear fallout and radioactive contamination.
Unless you're as completely, totally and willfully ignorant as the American press corps have shown themselves to be, time after time. (And biased, but their bias is a perfectly natural result of these preconditions.)
Or have a closer look at this message (but I strongly urge you not to download what is offered -- just contact the FBI)
Al Jihad For Islam Yahoo Club Message.
.
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