Dirty bombs and basement nukes: the terrorist nuclear threat: hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, second session, March 6, 2002.

Witnesses: Donald D. Cobb, Assoc. Lab. Dir. for Threat Reduction, Los Alamos Nat. Lab., Los Alamos, NM; Dr. Henry C. Kelly, Pres., Fed. of Amer. Scientists, Wash., DC: Dr. Steven E. Koonin, Provost, Calif. Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA; Dr. Richard A. Meserve, Chmn., Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Wash., DC; Dr. Harry C. Vantine, Div. Leader, Counter-terrorism and Incident Response, Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab., Livermore, CA; and Senators Joseph R. Biden, Jr., from Delaware and Jesse Helms from N. Carolina.

While newspapers carry stories about dirty bombs from time to time few readers know enough about these bombs to be scared. And scared they should be. The threat of a nuclear strike is more real than ever, and the government, while trying to do its best, is playing from way behind. Some experts even wonder if we should be spending less money on trying to prevent it, and more on trying to deal with one after it happens.This is an eye-opening investigation into the world of nuclear arms, radioactive machinery, and Al Qaeda terrorists. This book is filled with shocking revelations regarding huge security gaps, radioactive materials, missing nuclear arsenals, as well as the simplicity of technology needed to detonate what many experts have called "Weapons of Mass Disruption."Shocking stories include: In 1995 a 17 year-old Boy Scout built a working nuclear core in a shed in his parent's backyard In 1996 Chechen separatists planted a working Dirty Bomb in a Moscow park International intelligence recently uncovered the fact that the terrorists have a bomb-making school or network, which is easily transmitted via the internet 38 missing Alazan warheads were modified to carry radioactive material by the Russian government, effectively creating the world's first surface-to-surface 'dirty bombs' In 1987 an exposed core of Ceasium 137 was left in a trash can in Brazil for three days -- hundreds were treated for ailments related to radiation sickness There are rumored to be 20 missing Russian nuclear suitcase bombs Recent studies show that the affects of a medium sized Dirty Bomb would wreak far worse financial and long-term physical damage than originally assessed Includes: What Can You Do to Protect You and Your Family Protect Yourself During a Radiation Emergency - What to Do In Case of an Explosive Attack - Information on Potassium Iodide - What You Can Do to Prepare for a Terrorist Event

Congress has long sought, through legislation and oversight, to protect the United States against terrorist threats, especially from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. Radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) are one type of CBRN weapon. Explosive-driven "dirty bombs" are an often-discussed type of RDD, though radioactive material can also be dispersed in other ways. This report provides background for understanding the RDD threat and responses, and presents issues for Congress. Appendices: Technical Background; Some U.S. Vulnerabilities to RDDS. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.

Richelson reveals the history of America's super-secret government agency, Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST). "Defusing Armageddon" provides a behind-the-scenes look at NEST's personnel, operations, and detection and disablement equipment. 16 pages of illustrations; 4 maps.