(SUBMISSION) Likely 'Dirty Bomb' Material Seized in Ukraine (moved from ATSNN)

URL
www.foxnews.com...

Abstract
KIEV, Ukraine � Ukrainian security forces seized nearly 375 pounds of a radioactive material seen as a likely ingredient for a "dirty bomb" (search), authorities said Thursday.

In a joint action, Ukraine's police and state security agents seized two containers of cesium-137 (search) and arrested three men from the southern city of Simferopol on the Crimean peninsula, police spokesman Yuriy Kondratyev told The Associated Press. An unspecified number of people also were detained throughout Ukraine.

Cesium-137 is considered a likely ingredient for a so-called "dirty bomb," in which conventional explosives are combined with radioactive material.

Opinion
This is great news but it really makes one wonder how much is being bought and not caught. The information on photoelectric batteries and their utilization of Cesium is not welcome either. I love how the media loves to educate terrorists while talking about the actual news.

Here's some information on Cesium. I copied the page over here instead of paraphrasing since the original web page was fairly concise to begin with.

URL
www.pmel.org...

Article
History
(L. caesius, sky blue) Cesium was discovered spectroscopically by Bunsen and Kirchhoff in 1860 in mineral water from Durkheim.

Sources
Cesium, an alkali metal, occurs in lepidolite, pollucte (a hydrated silicate of aluminum and cesium), and in other sources. One of the world's richest sources of cesium is located at Bernic Lake, Manitoba. The deposits are estimated to contain 300,000 tons of pollucite, averaging 20% cesium.

It can be isolated by elecytrolysis of the fused cyanide and by a number of other methods. Very pure, gas-free cesium can be prepared by thermal decomposition of cesium azide.

Properties
The metal is characterized by a spectrum containing two bright lines in the blue along with several others in the red, yellow, and green. It is silvery white, soft, and ductile. It is the most electropositive and most alkaline element.

Cesium, gallium, and mercury are the only three metals that are liquid at room temperature. Cesium reacts explosively with cold water, and reacts with ice at temperatures above -116C. Cesium hydroxide, the strongest base known, attacks glass.

Uses
Because of it has great affinity for oxygen, the metal is used as a "getter" in electron tubes. It is also used in photoelectric cells, as well as a catalyst in the hydrogenation of certain organic compounds.

The metal has recently found application in ion propulsion systems. Cesium is used in atomic clocks, which are accurate to 5 s in 300 years. Its chief compounds are the chloride and the nitrate.

Isotope
Cesium has more isotopes than any element--32--with masses ranging from 114 to 145.

Costs
The present price of cesium is about $30/g.


[Edited on 7-5-2004 by titian]

[Edited on 7-5-2004 by titian]

Sorry bud, It was posted yesterday.
www.terroranalysis.com...
However, this is a nice story and you're right. How much of this stuff is getting by without being detected?

[Edited on 7-5-2004 by dbates]

Sorry dbates. I looked on atsnn.com and didn't see it. I didn't check terroranalysis.com though.

I think more is getting by than people imagine. When there's money involved there's always a way.