Re: The Times

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

Private:

Franz Schoenhofer

Habicherg. 31/7

A-1160 Vienna, AUSTRIA

Phone: -43 699 11681319

e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@chello.at



Office:

MR Dr. Franz Schoenhofer

Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management

Dep. I/8U, Radiation Protection

Radetzkystr. 2

A-1031 Vienna, AUSTRIA

phone: +43-1-71100-4458

fax: +43-1-7122331

e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@bmu.gv.at







-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: Marco Caceci <mcaceci@radal.com>

An: Radsafe (E-mail) <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Datum: Mittwoch, 24. Oktober 2001 21:19

Betreff: The Times





>This is an article mainly on Mr Laden's involvement with radioactive

matters

>

> http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2001350022-2001365997,00.html

>

>TUESDAY OCTOBER 23 2001

>

>Reportage

>

>Apocalypse now?

>

>BY GILES WHITTELL

>

>Dozens of Russia's nuclear weapons are missing. There is clear evidence

that Osama bin Laden's agents have been scouring the world

>to buy or steal such devices in order to attack the West. Our correspondent

investigates how near they may be to succeeding.

>............





This is another confirmation that the "good reputation" of a newspaper is no

guarantee, that the contributions make sense. I did not know, that dozens of

Russias nuclear weapons were missing - where did they get the information

from? Can the correspondent show a certificate from Russian authorities, how

many nuclear bombs are missing? How about the other states of the former

Sovjetunion? No bombs missing in the Ukraine, in Bjelorussia, in Kasachstan?

I cannot believe this! How has it been verified that "Osama bin Ladens

agents wanted to buy or steal such devices" - have they shown identification

and a written confirmation from Mr. Bin Laden, that they were acting on

behalf of him and that they wanted to buy or steal the weapons in order to

attack the world? Obviously, otherwise it would not have been stated in such

a "reputated paper"?



>....

>.

>Thought it might be relevant.

>

>I am surprised at limited concern in the US for radiological 'acts': if the

Chechens hid a Cs package in a Moscow waste basket and

>called the police, they certainly have more





I do not know about such an incident. What was hidden? How much Cs - I

suppose Cs-137. If it had been elemental Cs is might really have been

dangerous, because this would react violently with water and produce a fire.

Cs-137 sources are very abundant, they are frequently melted down in steel

or aluminium works - no problem to get hold of them - but a nuclear weapon?

Together with all the necessary instrumentation, codes, delivery problems

etc. to let them explode? I do not think, that there is limited concern in

the USA, just the opposite and I think this became obvious when reading

RADSAFE contributions during the last week.



I am waiting for the time, when all this hysteria will vanish!



Franz









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