ISIS terrorists could have stolen a large amount of radioactive material

Many people believe that a terrorist attack using a dirty bomb is inevitable. It is a valid fear and it looks like steps are being taken to achieve this devastating reality.

Iraq is searching for "highly dangerous" radioactive material stolen last year, according to an environment ministry document and seven security, environmental and provincial officials who fear it could be used as a weapon if acquired by Islamic State.

The material, stored in a protective case the size of a laptop computer, went missing in November from a storage facility near the southern city of Basra belonging to U.S. oilfield services company Weatherford, the document obtained by Reuters showed and officials confirmed.

The missing materials are quite dangerous.

The material is classed as a Category 2 radioactive source by the International Atomic Energy Agency, meaning if not managed properly it could cause permanent injury to a person in close proximity to it for minutes or hours, and could be fatal to someone exposed for a period of hours to days.

These materials could help create a dirty bomb used to create devastation in a major city.

A dirty bomb combines nuclear material with conventional explosives to contaminate an area with radiation, in contrast to a nuclear weapon, which uses nuclear fission to trigger a vastly more powerful blast.

There appears to be those that claim the missing materials are not in the hands of terrorists or do not pose a terroristic threat. I am struggling to understand why someone would steal these materials other than to use them in terrorist attacks or sell them to individuals who want to do just that.


Reuters

NY Post

Fox

a reply to: ExNihiloRed

Worrying news indeed considering ISIS were spying on chief of Nuclear operations in Belgium

a reply to: ExNihiloRed

IR-192 ends up going missing often, loses potency quickly, and would be the bottom of the barrel in terms of substances to use in a dirty bomb. You'd probably have better luck making a dirty bomb using americium harvested from smoke detectors. Excuse me if I don't panic.

originally posted by: Discotech
a reply to: ExNihiloRed

Worrying news indeed considering ISIS were spying on chief of Nuclear operations in Belgium

I saw that as well. Doesn't surprise me.

originally posted by: Osiris1953
a reply to: ExNihiloRed

IR-192 ends up going missing often, loses potency quickly, and would be the bottom of the barrel in terms of substances to use in a dirty bomb. You'd probably have better luck making a dirty bomb using americium harvested from smoke detectors. Excuse me if I don't panic.

Okay. Being informed and panicking are two different things. I don't remember making this doom porn. I think it is important to be aware.

a reply to: Osiris1953

a couple possibilities of what it could be?

Cornell Law - Category 1 & 2 Radioactive Sources

a reply to: ExNihiloRed

It is important to be aware, and you did nothing wrong.

The articles themselves were a bit to alarmist IMHO, which is why I commented the way that I did.

originally posted by: Osiris1953
a reply to: ExNihiloRed

It is important to be aware, and you did nothing wrong.

The articles themselves were a bit to alarmist IMHO, which is why I commented the way that I did.

Ah, understood. Yeah, MSM likes their ratings.

I don't know about stolen. The US military used hundreds of tons of depleted Uranium ammunition in various countries. The remaining dust and fragments of these projectiles are everywhere.

How hard is it to find hot spots where ordnance impacted and collect the stuff? Concentrating it shouldn't present much of a problem, given enough time… dirty bomb production would follow.

Still impractical. You have to deliver the weapon. Much easier to propagate bio weapons through security measures than radioactive material.

Has anyone questioned this man yet?

a reply to: intrptr

What's the radiation level of depleted Uranium? I understand they use that metal because of its mass. However, I assume that we wouldn't use something extremely toxic to our own troops, unless those troops are wearing personal protection equipment suitable for a radiological environment.

I was also under the impression that the Air Force only used those types of munitions against hard targets. Don't they use another type of ammo when they go after soft targets?

-dex

a reply to: DexterRiley

According to this not very high, it's only dangerous when it enters the body

Health problems associated with depleted uranium DU is a potential health hazard if it enters the body, such as through embedded fragments, contaminated wounds, and inhalation or ingestion. Simply riding in a vehicle with DU weapons or DU shielding will not expose a Servicemember to significant amounts of DU or external radiation. The potential for health effects from internal exposure is related to the amount of DU that enters a person’s body. If DU enters the body, it may remain in the body. Studies show high doses may especially affect the kidneys. So far no health problems associated with DU exposure have been found in Veterans exposed to DU. Researchers and clinicians continue to monitor the health of these Veterans. Go to the Department of Defense's Depleted Uranium (DU) Library to learn about results of medical and scientific research and other DU topics. - See more at: www.publichealth.va.gov...

originally posted by: Osiris1953
a reply to: ExNihiloRed

IR-192 ends up going missing often, loses potency quickly, and would be the bottom of the barrel in terms of substances to use in a dirty bomb. You'd probably have better luck making a dirty bomb using americium harvested from smoke detectors. Excuse me if I don't panic.

Good to know, but it won't stop them from trying it anyway.

Remember, these are the same idiots that tried using floating helium condoms to bring down jet fighters.

a reply to: DexterRiley
Wouldn't use anything toxic for own troops? What about Agent Orange in the Vietnam War?


en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: markosity1973

I actually hadn't heard about that before.

That's hilarious, frightening, and just downright sad.

Didn't a similar rumor come up a year or 2 ago? Yeah, last summer, ISIS supposedly had enough enough nuclear material to make dirty bombs.

1. ISIS has enough radioactive material to make dirty bomb: report
2. Dirty bomb: Just how worried should we be as ISIS seeks ultimate threat?

And the same claims were made in December of 2014.

1. ISIS claims to have developed dirty bomb – reports
2. ISIS claims constructing dirty bomb after stealing 40kg of uranium

I'm not saying we should ignore it, since it could be like the frequent 9/11 warnings. Just saying that this has been believed and reported for the last 2 years.

Even if ISIS was given material and a instruction manual they still couldn't get it done. There are far too many logistical and personnel issues. You need scientists, and practical testing/development areas that they don't have.

The material itself did not belong to the US company Weatherford, it was in fact owned by Istanbul-based SGS Turkey and was being kept in a protective laptop-sized case in a depot belonging to US oilfield services company Weatherford in the Rafidhia area of Basra province.

The radioactive material was owned by Istanbul-based SGS Turkey and was being kept in a protective laptop-sized case in a depot belonging to US oilfield services company Weatherford in the Rafidhia area of Basra province.

An unnamed senior environment ministry official told the agency that the stolen material contained up to 10 grams of Iridium-192 (Ir-192) capsules. It was used for industrial gamma radiography, a process of testing flaws in materials using gamma rays.

So if it belonged to the Turks in the first place, what are the odds this stuff will be, or already has been used against the Kurds?? I'm going to go with, extremely likely.

a reply to: ExNihiloRed

Excuse my ignorance but why does an oil company need radioactive material? I'm not be flip, it's a real question? (Despite the strength of said material).

originally posted by: Jason88
a reply to: ExNihiloRed

Excuse my ignorance but why does an oil company need radioactive material? I'm not be flip, it's a real question? (Despite the strength of said material).

The material, which uses gamma rays to test flaws in materials used for oil and gas pipelines in a process called industrial gamma radiography, is owned by Istanbul-based SGS Turkey, according to the document and officials.