TA-ANALYSIS: More Al Qaeda Threats of Using a Dirty Bomb

Recent chatter on radical Islamic websites has prompted senior U.S and European officials to the possible attempts by Al Q'aeda and other extremist groups to use a dirty bomb in an European or U.S city.

Threat of Dirty Bomb in European or U.S city
VIENNA � Concerns are growing that Al Qaeda or a related group could detonate a "dirty bomb" that would spew radioactive fallout across an American or European city, according to intelligence analysts, diplomats and independent nuclear experts.

Although safeguards protecting nuclear weapons and their components have improved, experts said the radioactive materials that wrap around conventional explosives to create a contaminating bomb remained available worldwide � and were often stored in non-secure locations.

Detonating a dirty bomb would not cause the death and devastation wrought by a nuclear weapon, but officials and counter-terrorism experts predicted that it would result in some fatalities, radiation sickness, mass panic and enormous economic damage.

Intelligence agencies have reported no reliable, specific threats involving dirty bombs or nuclear weapons, but senior U.S. and European officials and outside experts said several factors had heightened fears in recent weeks.

They said concerns were focused on three Al Qaeda operatives who led experiments involving dirty bombs and chemical weapons and on widely held suspicions that a special wing of the terrorist network was planning a spectacular attack.

The threat of attack is great enough that a senior European intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it is "not a matter of if there is a nuclear-related attack by Al Qaeda, but when it occurs."

The warning echoed remarks made last June by Eliza Manningham-Buller, director of Britain's domestic intelligence service, MI5. She said renegade scientists have aided Al Qaeda's efforts to develop chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, sometimes referred to as CBRN.

After all the threats that Al Qaeda have given, and have followed through in the past, are we to doubt that they are not serious about using a dirty bomb in a city?

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[Edited on 11-5-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

the threat of a dirty bomb is very real, just think of all the radio active/chemical waste materials that have gone missing in the past year, many tonns of the stuff.

and thats just what is reported.

there has been a lot of stolen or lost materials reported recently, but does anyone know how mcuhw as lost prior to 9-11? i mean, i honestly wouldn't doubt if it were about the same amount.

cmdrkid, it would be a good idea to find out exactly what is missing and from which areas, maybe even map everything we can find. It would give us an idea of the event that seems to be on the works.
It seems as if the scumbags are really going to use all the materials they stole in some other place, probably a city.

They want as many americans to die or suffer. If we are to believe their past threats they said they would make one major attack on the 17th or 18th of any of the remaining months of this year, or they could just try to do this in one of our major celebration days.

I just hope we can stop them and that another 9/11 never comes true again.

[Edited on 11-5-2004 by Muaddib]