Terrorist use of RAM (Was Nova - Dirty Bombs - London Scenarioquestion)

[Kai Kaletsch <eic@shaw.ca>]

RE: Nova - Dirty Bombs - London Scenario question----- Original

Message -----

From: Franta, Jaroslav

>if you really wanted to harm people with RAM, you wouldn't do it with a

bomb, but >quietly, Goiania-style, or anthrax-letter-style.



I'm with Jaro on this one. Getting enough material and constructing an

effective dirty bomb would require some effort and some technical

competence. The result would be a short term panic but no lasting effects.

It would make the terrorists look like paper tigers that can't do any real

damage.



On the other hand, getting enough material that would be a problem if it was

slipped into a movie theater seat is not difficult. Such a deployment poses

absolutely no technical problems. It would be difficult to trace and the

effects would drag out for a long time. Cs-137 is extremely easy to shield.

A terrorist could even come back every few days, put the source in a few

pounds of lead, and move it to a new location.



Just think of the anxiety that the sniper cases caused. Now add the word

radiation to it.



Kai



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