[lly]

This uranium emits alpha particles which are big heavy and only dangerous at close range. The reason it can be carried in a suitcase is that it's particles can be stopped by a piece of paper or a suitcase. Else all the couriers would've been killed. The danger is that they can be set loose as a dust which inhaled is pretty lethal. A stick of dynamite or it's modern equivalent could do that easily.

[ecru]

how much damage can a suitcase nuke do? Are we talking taking a whole city out? or a few blocks? I wonder how far radiation would spread...hmmm...