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Theft of nuclear materials.

This is G o o g l e's cache of http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/Stolen-Nuclear-Material8mar02.htm as retrieved on Jun 3, 2005 12:25:29 GMT.

Data shows world awash in stolen nuclear material

Andrew Quinn / Reuters 8mar02

SAN FRANCISCO - International researchers have compiled what they say is the
world's most complete database of lost, stolen and misplaced nuclear material -
depicting a world awash in weapons-grade uranium and plutonium that nobody
can account for. "It truly is frightening," Lyudmila Zaitseva, a visiting fellow at
Stanford University's Institute for International Studies, said this week. "I think
this is the tip of the iceberg."

Stanford announced its database as U.S. senators held a hearing in Washington
to assess the threat of "dirty bombs," or radioactive material dispersed by
conventional explosives.

The Stanford program, dubbed the Database on Nuclear Smuggling, Theft and
Orphan Radiation Sources, is intended to help governments and international
agencies track wayward nuclear material worldwide, supplementing existing
national programs that often fail to share information.

The project took on added urgency following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York
and Washington, which spurred fears that extremists might seek to use nuclear
weapons in the future.

"It blows the mind, the lack of information," said George Bunn, a veteran arms
control negotiator and a member of the database group. "What we're trying to
say is: 'What are the facts?'"

CHILLING FACTS

The facts, even on cursory examination, are chilling.

Zaitseva said that, over the past 10 years, at least 88 pounds (40 kg) of
weapons-usable uranium and plutonium had been stolen from poorly protected
nuclear facilities in the former Soviet Union. While most of this material
subsequently was retrieved, at least 4.4 pounds (2 kg) of highly enriched uranium
stolen from a reactor in Georgia remains missing.

Other thefts have included several fuel rods that disappeared from a research
reactor in the Congo in the mid-1990s. While one of these fuel rods later
resurfaced in Italy - reportedly in the hands of the Mafia - the other has not been
found.

The Stanford group, led by nuclear physicist and arms control researcher Friedrich
Steinhausler, decided to form its database after becoming alarmed over the
patchy nature of most of the available information.

Combining data from two existing unclassified databases and adding new
information from sources ranging from government agencies to local media
reports, the team has evaluated each entry for accuracy and probability.

An expert at the Federation of American Scientists, the oldest U.S. arms control
group, welcomed the establishment of the database, saying it could play a
crucial role in helping governments ascertain the real level of nuclear threat.

"This is a smart step," said Michael Levi, director of the group's Strategic Security
Project. "Knowing what's out there is the first step to bringing it back in."

'ORPHAN' RADIATION ALSO A THREAT

The database includes illicitly obtained weapons-grade nuclear material as well
as "orphaned" radiation sources - scientific or medical material that may have
been lost, misplaced or simply thrown away but which still poses a health and
security threat.

Steinhausler said the database would be open only to approved researchers, and
that the Stanford group was beginning to contact government agencies in the
United States and Europe about sharing information to build more effective
international supervision of nuclear material.

"We cannot supply the means to improve the situation," Steinhausler said in a
statement. "We're pinpointing weaknesses and loopholes and saying, 'Do
something about it.'"

Zaitseva, visiting Stanford from the Kazakhstan National Nuclear Center, said the
database was helping to build a dim picture of the market for stolen uranium,
plutonium, and other dangerous materials.

But she added that while in many cases those behind nuclear thefts can be
identified, the ultimate destination of the nuclear material has remained a
mystery.

"We haven't found a single occasion in which the actual end users have been
caught," Zaitseva told Reuters.

"We can only guess by the routes where the material is going. We can't say for
sure if it is Iraq, Iran, North Korea, al Qaeda or Hezbollah. We can only make
assumptions."

She added that the dangers of an unsupervised, underground market in nuclear
material were likely to grow, noting that a U.S.-sponsored program to secure
nuclear components in the former Soviet Union thus far had only locked up about
a third of an estimated 600 tons of weapons-usable material.

"It's just not protected," she said. "This is hot stuff. If you steal 20 kilograms of
that material, you can build a nuclear weapon."

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The people confirmed dead
		Ciaran Cassidy Ciaran Cassidy ate his breakfast, said goodbye to his mother and left home at 8.25am. He walked to Finsbury Park station and caught Piccadilly Line, heading to work in a stationery shop in Chancery Lane. He died in the tube train explosion near King's Cross.

		Jamie Gordon The 30-year-old financial adviser telephoned his office at City Asset Management at 9.42am on Thursday to say he was on a bus from Euston to King's Cross. He died in the explosion. In a statement, his family said: "Jamie touched many people's lives and the response to this tragedy is overwhelming." They also thanked the police family liaison officers.

		Miriam Hyman The 31-year-old spoke to her father on her mobile phone to say she had been evacuated from an underground train at King's Cross. She died in the explosion on the No 30 bus. Her family issued the following statement: "Miriam was a well-loved person with friends going back to infant school. Wewould like to thank all those who prayed for her safe return and everyonewho gave so much time and effort to help us in the search. We ask that we now be left alone to deal with this privately."

		Shahara Islam A devout Muslim, 20-year-old Shahara Islam had a dental appointment before going to work at the Co-operative Bank, and called her uncle at 9.45am that morning. She died in the explosion on the No 30 bus.

		Susan Levy Mrs Levy, 53, of Newgate Street Village, Cuffley, Hertfordshire, died in the tube train explosion near King's Cross and was the first among the dead to be formally identified. She was married to Harry, a London taxi driver, and had two adult sons, Daniel, 25, and James, 23. She left for work in central London on Thursday with James and the two parted at Finsbury Park.

		Jennifer Nicholson The 24-year-old vicar's daughter lived in Reading but had just started a new job in the capital. She died in tube train explosion at Edgware Road.

		Mihaela Otto Known as Michelle, Ms Otto, 47, was travelling from her home in Mill Hill East and was due to arrive at work at 9.30am on Thursday. She died in the tube train explosion near King's Cross.

		Shyanuja Parathasangary A 30-year-old a postal worker from Kensal Rise, north-west London. Ms Parathasangary arrived at Euston Station at 9.08am. She died in the explosion on the No 30 bus.

		Phillip Stuart Russell Mr Russell, 28, phoned work on Thursday and said he was trying to get a bus at Euston. He died in the explosion on the No 30 bus.

		William Wise Mr Wise, 54, was believed to be travelling on a bus from Euston to Kings Cross. He died in the explosion on the No 30 bus.

The people still listed as missing
		James Adams Mr Adams, 32, from Peterborough, phoned home to tell his mother he had arrived at King's Cross. That was the last she heard from him. A devout Christian, he was headed towards the Strand where he works as a mortgage consultant. It was believed he was caught in the blast on the Piccadilly Line between Russell Square and Kings Cross. Culture minister David Lammy, a close friend, said: "I have never heard anyone say a bad word about James. I really hope to God that he's not caught up in this awful evil."

		Lee Baisden An accountant for the London Fire Brigade, Mr Baisden, 34, from Romford, Essex, was believed to be in the Aldgate area of the Circle Line at the time of the blast.

		Phil Beer The 22-year-old hairdresser from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, was on his way to work with best friend Patrick Barnes who was injured in the blast. He later told Mr Beer's older sister Stacy that he heard his friend cry out after the explosion.

		Ania Brandt A Polish cleaner from Wood Green, north London, Ms Brandt, 43, was on the Piccadilly Line travelling towards Hammersmith. She was looking forward to a reunion with her daughter who was flying in from Poland. Her brother Pawel Iskrzynski and family are still hoping for her return.

		Michael 'Stan' Brewster The family of father-of-two Stan Brewster, 52, from Derby, fear he was caught in the blasts. Brother-in-law Dave Wall said: "There is nothing we can do but wait. We've rung round all the hospitals twice. We have spoken to the police but there's nothing they can tell us."

		Benedetta Ciaccia This 30-year-old economics analyst works near the Embankment, central London, but shares a home in Norwich with fiance Fiaz Bhatti. Ms Ciaccia came from Rome to England 10 years ago to work and quickly made friends. 'She has a very bubbly, lively personality,' said Mr Bhatti. 'I would say she is exuberant.' 09.07.05, Norwich Evening News: City woman missing after London blasts 09.07.05, La Repubblica: She was due to get married on Sept 11 (Italian)

		Elizabeth Daplyn The 26-year-old works as an administrator in the neuroradiology department of University College Hospital. She is single and lives in Highgate, north London. Ms Daplyn usually took the Piccadilly line to Russell Square tube station in order to reach her work.

		Richard Ellery Mr Ellery, 21, was due to catch a tube from Liverpool Street to a conference in the centre of London after travelling from Ipswich. He was last in contact with his parents by text message 21 minutes before the first blast and they have not heard from him since. 09.07.05, East Anglian Daily Times: Hunt for missing Richard

		David Foulkes A 22-year-old Guardian trainee from Manchester, Mr Foulkes was on his way to meet a colleague. His family and colleagues in the newspaper's circulation department have continued to text and ring him with no response.

		Karolina Gluck Ms Gluck, from Poland, said goodbye to her boyfriend at 8.30am on Thursday and has not been seen since. The 29-year-old administrative worker was travelling from Finsbury Park tube to Russell Square for work.

		Gamze Gunoral The 24-year-old Turkish student had only arrived in the UK a few weeks ago, after coming to the country in order to improve her English at a school in Hammersmith, west London. A friend of Ms Gunoral, Ozgur Bahceli, said: 'We haven't heard anything from her. We are very, very worried.'

		Giles Hart The family of the missing 55-year-old BT worker from Hornchurch, Essex, has made an urgent plea for information about his whereabouts. In a statement they said: 'Giles Hart was travelling from Hornchurch to the Angel Islington. He never arrived. His wife, daughter, mother and son are desperate for any news of his whereabouts.' The Sun: Dad-of-two Giles missing

		Marie Hartley The 34-year-old mother of two lives in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire and was travelling to London on Thursday to attend a course. Friends fear Ms Hartley may have been caught up in the blast as they have heard nothing from her. ITN: Missing - Marie Hartley

		Slimane Ihab The 24-year-old French-Tunisian student was working as a waiter in Piccadilly Circus. Mr Ihab, a Muslim from Lyon, had been in London only a few weeks. His friend, Xavier Rebergue, said that no one had heard from him since the blast. 'His father is flying in from Paris,' said Mr Rebergue.

		Ojara Ikeagwu The 55-year-old mother of three works as a social worker in Hounslow, west London, a job she is said to love. She is married to a retired doctor, Osborne Ikeagwu. Mrs Ikeagwu's cousin, Chris Agwu, said she would have been in the King's Cross area between 8.30am and 9am but no one had heard from her.

		Neetu Jain Ms Jain was evacuated from the underground at Euston and decided to catch a bus to work."She was right next to Tavistock Square where that bus exploded," said Gous Ali, her boyfriend. "I am going out of my mind with despair."

		Emily Jenkins A trainee midwife from Richmond, west London, Ms Jenkins, 24, was at King's Cross station at 8.45am and joined the tube at Russell Square. Her family are extremely worried about her.

		Adrian Johnson A 37-year-old office worker from Newark, Notts.

		Helen Jones Originally from Lockerbie, Ms Jones was last heard from at 7.30am on Thursday. The 28-year-old accountant has been living in Holloway, north London. Her family accept that she died in the King's Cross blast.

		Mike Matsushita The quietly spoken 37-year-old was brought up in America by a family of Vietnamese refugees. Mr Matsushita left his bank job in New York after 9/11 to live in London. He started working this week as a tour guide and lives with his British girlfriend, Rosie Cowan, in Islington. 11.07.05, NY Daily News: Kin and pal await news of missing New Yorker

		James Mayes The 28-year-old health analyst from London was believed to have travelled through King's Cross.

		Behnaz Mokakka A biomedical officer from Iran, Ms Mokakka, 47, worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She left her home in north London at 8.00am but did not reach work.

		Anat Rosenberg Ms Rosenberg, 37, was on the No 30 bus at Tavistock Square. She had lived in London for 18 years and was nervous about visiting her native Israel because of the risk of suicide bus bombings. Her partner John Falding, 62, last heard from her at around 9.30am when she called him from the bus, just minutes before the explosion. He says he heard "horrendous screams" before the line went dead.

		Christian Small The 28-year-old from Walthamstow in east London is a computer manager with an advertising sales firm. He has not been heard of since he left for work in Holborn, central London. 11.07.05: Still searching for Christian

		Fiona Stevenson A 29-year-old criminal lawyer from Danbury in Essex. Her father Ivan said: "She would have phoned us if there was any way she could. We know from all the hospitals that they have identified all the patients so the chances are very, very small."

		Monika Suchocka The 23-year-old from Poland has been working as a trainee accountant in West Kensington. She shares a flat in Archway, north London, with her friend Kim Philip, who has been searching for her. She rang her company at 8.40am to say she was running late and would be taking a bus. No one has heard from her since. The Sun: Have you seen Monika?

		Carrie Louise Taylor The 24-year-old, from Billericay, Essex, had been on her way to the Royal Society of Arts on the Embankment where she worked. Ms Taylor was last seen by her mother, June, at Liverpool Street station. Her mother said: "I'm so very glad that the last picture I have of her in my head is smiling and waving at me."

		Laura Webb Ms Webb, 29, a personal assistant, would have been around Edgware Road at the time of the blast on her way to work, her brother David said. 08.07.05: BBC: Family's plea over missing woman

		Anthony Fatayi William The 26-year-old, an engineering executive from Hendon, was believed to have been on the No 30 bus.

		Gladys Wundowa Mrs Wundowa, a 50-year-old mother of two, is married to Emmanuel Wundowa, a security guard, and lives in Chadwell Health, Essex. She is a cleaner at University College of London, where she started work at 5am on the day of the attacks.

		Rachelle Chung For Yuen The 27-year-old accountant had moved with her husband to Britain from Mauritius five years ago. Her husband Billy is also an accountant. Her family believes Mrs Chung For Yuen may have been on the Piccadilly line going to her office at Piccadilly Circus at the time of the explosions.