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RE: DOE Secretary addresses "Dirty Bombs"
Can you provide specific comments on the Secretary's statement and let us
all understand where you find his comments so ignorant. Having read them I
see what appears to be an honest effort to deal with a difficult and complex
problem that poses a threat to public safety in light of the terrorist
objectives. Being a certified health physicist and having worked in
emergency management in some manner for most of my 25 year career career I
personnally feel the Secretary's concerns are well founded and that the
world community does need to do a better job of controlling radioactive
materials.
Take care all and be safe.
Milton Chilton
CHP, RRPT
-----Original Message-----
From: Muckerheide [mailto:muckerheide@attbi.com]
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 5:34 PM
To: Susan L Gawarecki; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: Re: DOE Secretary addresses "Dirty Bombs"
Who are the staff that get the Secretary to make such ignorant statements!?
And why do the knowledgeable people keep silent? (Sins of omission!?)
Regards, Jim
on 9/16/02 1:49 PM, Susan L Gawarecki at loc@icx.net wrote:
> Energy Secretary Abraham Calls for International Conference to Counter
> the Threat of "Dirty Bombs"
> http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases02/seppr/pr02186_v.htm
>
> VIENNA, AUSTRIA - Speaking before the Forty-Sixth General Conference of
> the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today, Energy Secretary
> Spencer Abraham called for an international conference to address the
> threat posed by the potential misuse of radiological materials to
> construct Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs), often referred to as
> "dirty bombs."
>
> A dirty bomb contains radioactive material, but does not use that
> material to produce a nuclear explosion, as is the case with a nuclear
> weapon. Dirty bombs are constructed of conventional explosives and
> radioactive material and are designed to disperse that radioactive
> material. Such weapons are ideal for terrorists because of their
> relative simplicity and the widespread availability of suitable
> radioactive material in medical isotopes, radiography sources, and power
> sources used in remote areas.
>
> "Although these dirty bombs are not comparable to nuclear weapons in
> destructiveness, they are far easier to assemble and employ," said
> Abraham. "While the physical destruction they would cause is comparable
> to conventional explosives, the disruption caused by widespread
> contamination is far greater. And it is disruption that terrorists
> seek." In addition to the psychological disruption, use of a dirty bomb
> could have significant economic consequences.
>
> Abraham's call for an international conference builds on several earlier
> U.S. initiatives, some taken jointly with the Russian Federation and the
> IAEA. In May 2002, Secretary Abraham and his Russian counterpart,
> Minister of Atomic Energy Aleksandr Rumyantsev, agreed to work
> cooperatively to secure radioactive sources in Russia. Under this
> agreement the United States has worked with Russia to identify the
> specific sources of greatest concern, has committed $1 million for
> security upgrades at the largest radiological repository in Russia,
> reached agreement on upgrades at several other high priority sites, and
> began discussion on material consolidation.
>
> Building on this agreement, in June 2002, the United States, Russia, and
> the IAEA established a tripartite working group on "Securing and
> Managing Radioactive Sources." This working group will "develop a
> coordinated and proactive strategy to locate, recover, secure and
> recycle orphan sources throughout the Former Soviet Union." It
> represents the first concerted international response to the threat
> posed by vulnerable radioactive sources in the non-Russian states of the
> Former Soviet Union. Under this initiative contracts were signed in
> August with Georgia for upgrading security for at-risk sources. In
> parallel with these foreign efforts, the U.S. Department of Energy and
> Nuclear Regulatory Commission are examining areas in which Federal
> resources should be directed to improve protection against radiological
> dispersal devices.
>
> Plans found in Afghan bunkers revealed in detail the interest of al
> Qaeda in radiological dispersal devices (RDDs, or "dirty bombs"). The
> discovery of these plans demonstrates the importance of incorporating
> radiological dispersal devices into the world's nonproliferation and
> counterterrorism strategy.
>
> Under Abraham's proposal, the United States would work closely with the
> IAEA to make the proposed conference a reality. As Abraham has noted
> elsewhere, "Safeguarding weapons usable material should always be the
> highest priority of the IAEA. But the organization also needs to seek
> ways to formally expand its scope to deal with dangers posed by lower
> grade nuclear materials. The international community must do more, and
> the IAEA is the best and most appropriate vehicle for marshalling our
> collective resources."
>
> The IAEA has the technical expertise to help states respond
> appropriately to this problem. The conference the United States proposes
> would help states understand the need to draw on that expertise to
> develop appropriate national standards for accounting for and tracking
> radiological materials.
>
> Media Contact:
> Jeanne Lopatto, 202/586-4940
> Corry Schiermeyer, 202/586-5806
>
> Release No. PR-02-186
> Release Date: September 16, 2002
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