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When Terrorists Attack: How You Can Prepare for the
Worst
National Security Research GroupWednesday April 15 2008
Forum on Radiological Dispersion Devices
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Welcome to the National Security Research Group’s first student forum on national security issues. Thank you for coming today and a special thank you to George Washington University for hosting today’s forum on radiological dispersion devices. I am Carrie Lewis and I work for the National Security Research Group as a policy analyst. Today’s forum focuses on this device and how it can be utilized by terrorist groups in an attack. To start the discussion, how many of you knew before seeing the pamphlets today what a radiological dispersion device was?
Nuclear v. RDD
AtomicBombTest.mp4omicBombTest.mCredit of NATOCredit of Atomcentral.com
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Contrary to popular belief, an RDD, or “dirty bomb,” is not the same as a nuclear device. To illustrate the differences between a dirty bomb and a nuclear bomb, here are two videos. First, the traditional video of a nuclear bomb test. *Play first video on left side of screen: Notice the enormous explosion, the mushroom shape cloud, and how it spreads. Now compare what you saw from the that video to what a dirty bomb explosion would look like: *Play second video on right side of the screen, play for ~30 seconds. Ask audience: What are the main differences between the two? *Wait for answers, then move on to further explain the differences between the two.
Nuclear
Credit of skaneateles.org
Credit of osha.gov
Credit of Sureshukumar of Flickr.com
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A detonation of a nuclear bomb has four main components: Blinding light, intense heat, nuclear radiation, and a heat pulse fires A nuclear weapon is dangerous because of the residual nuclear fallout that occurs during and after the detonation. This fallout consists of radioactive materials that were vaporized during the explosion and fall back down to earth. This is the radiation that causes many of the health defects in humans who experience such an event. A second reason why nuclear weapons are dangerous is due to the electromagnetic pulse, also called the EMP, that occurs during the explosion. The EMP starts at the center of the explosion and can spread to hundreds of miles around the area where the bomb was detonated. The EMP can cause damage to electronic devices that are connected to power sources or antennas (FEMA, “Are You Ready?” 164-5)
RDD
Credit of osha.gov
Credit of NATOCredit of agls.uidaho.edu
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In contrast, an RDD consists of a conventional explosive device that contains highly radioactive material. When it is detonated, the explosive will spread the radioactive material in the surrounding area. Depending on the weather, especially the wind, the material could spread up to a few miles around the surrounding the area. What makes RDDs dangerous is not the radioactive material. This is because during the explosion, if there is not a large amount of radioactive material, then it could be burned during the explosion, making it just a normal explosive device. There are three things that make RDDs deadly - the availability of radioactive material, psychological fear that it will instill, and the potential economic impact that an RDD could have to certain areas and cities of the United States (FEMA, “Are You Ready?”170 http://www.ready.gov/america/_downloads/emergency_preparedness/are_you_ready.pdf). These three potential consequences of an RDD attack will be discussed throughout the forum. First I would like to discuss the type of radioactive material that are likely to be used in an RDD and where they can be found.
Smoke Detector Credit of diydata.com Stainless Steel Credit of wjliani.en.alibaba.com Glass Bead Necklace Credit of Horizon at Flickr.com Fireworks Credit of tamuk.edu Jet Engine Credit of mre1965 on Flickr.com and Batteries Credit of Moria on Flickr.com
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*Click for each picture: A Smoke detector, stainless steel, a glass bead necklace, fireworks, a jet engine, and batteries. Any one want to take a guess what these six things have in common? These are all things that contain radioactive material that can be converted into materials used in RDDs
Americium-241 Cobalt-60 Cesium-137
Strontium-90 Iridium-192 Cadmium-109Americium-241 Credit of site.uottawa.ca; Cobalt-60 Credit of theodoregray.com; Cesium-137 Credit of nti.org ; Strontium-90 Credit of Gordon on Flickr.com; Iridium-192 Credit of vanderkrogt.net; and Cadmium-109 Credit of kn.sbc.com
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*Click for each picture/name The smoke detector contains Americium-241. The stainless steel contains Cobalt-60. The glass in the beads of the necklace contains Cesium-137. Strontium-90 is in fireworks to make the red color. Iridium-192 is used in the production of jet engines. Cadmium-109 is used to create batteries. These six elements are all on a list created by the Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM) division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Other elements that they list for potential use in an RDD are Californium-252, Plutonium-238, Polonium-210, and Radium-226 (REMM http://remm.nlm.gov/rdd.htm). Most of these materials can be found in common items, like glass or batteries, while others can be found in medical equipment. For example, Cesium can be used to treat different types of cancer. This material can also be found in power plants, such as Plutonium-239 in nuclear power plants ( Peterson, John “Radiological and Chemical Fact Sheets to Support Health Risk Analyses for Contaminated Areas“ http://www.evs.anl.gov/pub/doc/ ANL_Contaminant FactSheets_All_070418.pdf) Now you may being think that if these materials are so dangerous that they must surely be under plenty of security. However, this is not the case. This next section will discuss a few instances of radioactive materials going missing and instances of groups threatening to use RDDs.
Missing Radioactive MaterialsNigeria – 2003
Cesium-137
Credit of kids.mapzones.com
Credit of nti.org
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In Nigeria in 2003, Cesium-137 was reported missing from one of the country’s oil companies. The material was used in equipment used to survey land and water for oil. Nigerian officials reported the material missing to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Officials warned citizens of the potential dangerous caused by the element such as severe burns to the area of the skin that comes in contact with it or even death. Officials worried that the material could potentially end up in the wrong hands and could be used in an attack against the government. There has been no information on whether the material has been found. Associated Press, “Radioactive Material Missing.” The Guardian. 26 Feb 2003 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/feb/26/2
Missing Radioactive MaterialsCanada – 2007
Enriched Uranium and Plutonium
Canadian Flag Credit of yantz.com
Uranium Pellets Credit of Marusia on Flickr.com
Plutonium Credit of ucop.edu
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Even more recent than the case in Nigeria is the case of missing Plutonium and Uranium from various industries in Canada. According to Canadian officials, twenty-six “low-level radioactive materials” had gone missing, most of which was highly enriched Plutonium and Uranium. The incidences had been reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency. During a meeting of this agency, there was a report of an increase in the smuggling of radioactive materials. This is a cause of alarm in many international communities and to many give the sign of the emergence of many al-Qaeda-like terrorist groups. All of the material that is missing is considered to have low-risk to humans, but can still be used by terrorist groups in the making of RDDs. By the end of last year, fourteen of the original twenty-six materials remain missing. Almost a decade prior to this incidence, in 1999, radioactive materials had gone missing from a Canadian university. Luckily, five years later, the material was found by a farmer who reported it to officials after noticing the radiation symbol on the outside of the package. Not all incidences end so nicely though.
Missing Radioactive MaterialsUSA – 1997 to present
Hundreds of radioactive devices missing
RDD Credit of agls.uidaho.edu; Radiation Symbol Credit of osha.gov
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Here is an incident that hits a little closer to home. According to ABC News, approximately “1,500 radioactive devices have been stolen, lost, or abandoned since 1997” What’s worse is that the US government can account for a little under 700 of these devices. US officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported that there is a large enough quantity to cause harm to individuals and enough, if it fell into the wrong hands, to be used as a weapon. (Thomas, Pierre. “Hundreds of Radioactive Devices Missing.” ABC News. 11 April 2003. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130398&page=1) The following few slides are examples of terrorists groups who have threatened to use radiological dispersion devices or who have been suspected of having radiological materials
FARC: Modern Day Terrorism and RDDs
Credit of fahnenversand.de
Credit of CNN
Credit of port.pravada.ru
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The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), also known as the People’s Army, is a Marxist revolutionary group that has been branded as a terrorist organization by several states, including the United States, Canada, and the entire European Union. As of early March 2008, there have been allegations from the group’s leader’s, Raul Reyes, laptop that claims that the organization has had access to radioactive materials and planned to use these materials in creating a dirty bomb. This allegation is especially alarming since FARC has been connected to the smuggling illegal drugs to various countries, including the United States. It is not clear whether the allegations are true especially since there is only a rough translation and it also has minimal punctuation. Many within the national security community have called on government officials to start a careful investigation of the case. Others from the national security community have also commented on the fact that the radioactive material in question, Uranium, is not a good material to use in radiological dispersion device. Because of this, many question whether the intentions of FARC and whether they planned to use the material in the detonation of a radiological dispersion device. Only careful investigation can lead to an accurate answer and response to these allegations. The TerrorWonk Blog, “FARC Fallout: Assessing Dirty Bomb Claims.” 5 March 2008 http://terrorwonk.blogspot.com/2008/03/farc-fallout-assessing-dirty-bomb.html
Al Qaeda: Modern Day Terrorism and RDDs
Credit of ManilaRyce on Flickr.com
Credit of radionetherlands.nl
Credit of Time
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In 2005, US government officials announced that there had been numerous reports from the intelligence community that Abu Musab Zarqawi, an al Qaeda terrorist, has gained access to either a nuclear device or radiological device to make an RDD. Supposedly, Zarqawi stored the devices in Afghanistan. Intelligence analysts believe that the radiological dispersion device is meant for an overseas target since the device was built overseas. Because a device would be difficult to sneak across a border if it is already put together, analysts doubt that the device is meant to be used in a US city. Cochran, Andrew, “R.P. Eddy: ‘Look for Nuclear Weapons in the RDD Haystack.” 21 April 2005 http://counterterrorismblog.org/2005/04/rp_eddy_look_for_nuclear_weapo.php
Terrorist from London Attack Threaten Use of RDDs in U.S.
“Now that the American administration has revealed the evil and wickedness of its forces... it is not a far cry from justice to adopt the slogan, ‘Dirty Bombs for a Dirty Nation... Let the American people those who voted for killing, destruction, the looting of other nations wealth, megalomania, and the desire to control others be contaminated with radiation!’”- Abu Musab al-Suri courtesy of globalterroralert.com Credit of inspectorzen on Flickr.com
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In the July of 2005, terrorists from Al-Qaeda attacked London’s transportation systems with four total bombings which occurred within an hour of one another. According to reports from the national security community, Abu Musab al-Suri, one of the suspects from the bombings, was rumored to have threatened the use of radiological dispersion devices against the United States. *Click, then read quote* (Kohlman, Evan. “Abu Musab al-Suri and his Plan for the Destruction of America: ‘Dirty Bombs for a Dirty Nation.’” 11 July 2005. Global Terror Alert http://www.globalterroralert.com/pdf/0705/abumusabalsuri.pdf). All three of these examples show that the possibility of an RDD attack is very real and very feasible. The fact that thousands of radioactive devices go missing yearly from various countries and knowing that many terrorist groups have the capabilities of getting these devices and creating something as destructive of as an RDD gives reason enough to have a forum like this and to spread the knowledge of what the government is doing to protect us and what you can do in the event of an attack.
RadioactiveDispersal
DeviceDetonated
Chaos Immediately After Explosion Medical Overload Economic Chaos
After Explosion
Credit of “Are You Ready” on ready.gov
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*Click for graph As stated before, there are three potential effects from an RDD attack. They are chaos that will occur immediately after the explosion, the medical overload, and economic chaos.
Immediately After the Explosion
Credit of NATO
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The first result will occur because of the shock of the event. We may not be notified that the bomb contained radioactive material until after it has occurred. Also, because many do not know what an RDD is they may accidentally expose themselves to radiation by not taking precautions. Once individuals find out that the bomb contained radioactive material, more chaos will likely occur, which leads us to the second result (FEMA “Are You Ready?” 171).
Effects of Radiation and Medical Overflow
From Top Left to Bottom Left: 1) Credit of student.bmj.com, 2.) Credit of historyplace.com 3.) Credit of theleftcoaster.com 4.) Credit of ratical.org
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Once we find out that the bomb contained radioactive material, many who were in the area during the detonation will think they were exposed by radiation and will seek medical help. Depending on the population of the area, this could be thousands of people trying to go to only a few hospitals that may not have the equipment necessary to help all who are there (FEMA “Are You Ready?”171).
Economic Impact
Credit of osha.gov
Credit of suitenet.org
Credit of Tracy O on Flickr.com
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The third result will occur during the months and years following the attack. The area in and around where the bomb was detonated will need to be checked for radiation and will need to be cleaned properly to get rid of all the radiation. This clean up could take months and during this time businesses around the area may need to temporarily shut down and individuals who live there may need to leave temporarily. After the clean up is over, many may be hesitant to come back due to fear that the clean up was not done properly (especially if it was done by an organization that the public does not trust, i.e. the federal government) or they may be hesitant to come back due to fear that the area will be attacked again. This may cause businesses and individuals to move causing an economic slump for the area (FEMA “Are You Ready?” 171). Another aspect of the economic impact is the amount of money that it may take to clean up the area. For example, in 1997, a teenager in New Jersey was exposed to radiation from a road sign he had found near an abandoned building. Within the hour he was exposed to a large amount of radiation. The boy and his family were evacuated from their home for two weeks while crews cleaned it of radiation. The cost was approximately $200,000 (Thomas, Pierre. “Hundreds of Radioactive Devices Missing.” ABC News. 11 April 2003. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130398&page=1). For one home. Imagine the cost for one city block or an entire section of the city. As seen on September 11th which partially crippled Wall Street, the economic impact of a terrorist attack can be devastating. Even with financial assistance from the federal government, a community could bear a large cost of the attack, which may harm them economically for years. All three of these results are devastating whether on the individual level or on the city level. There is information out there on how to protect yourself against such an attack. First we will discuss the types of radiation and how to protect yourself from the various kinds and then we will discuss how you should protect yourself during an RDD attack
How to Protect Yourself from Radiation
Alpha Radiation
Beta Radiation
Gamma Radiation
Credit of cameco.com
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There are three types of radiation. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. As demonstrated by the picture on the right, each of these particles are of different size and can be blocked by something as little as a piece of paper or something as large as a concrete wall. Most radiation contains all of three of these types of radiation, so it is important to know how to protect yourself against them. The first particle in this picture is an alpha particle. It is the largest of the three and can easily be blocked by something as small as a sheet of paper. Usually it will only penetrate the first layer of skin on a human. The second particle in the picture is a beta particle. This particle is smaller than an alpha particle and will cause damage if you are exposed to it. This particle can be blocked by something thicker than a piece of paper such as wood or plastic. The third and last particle in the picture is a gamma particle. This is the smallest and fastest moving of the three. It causes the most damage to humans. It can be absorbed into anything from buildings to clothing. It requires heavy, thick shielding to protect yourself from this type of radiation (Cordesman, Anthony H. “Radiological Weapons as Means of Attack.” 8 Nov 2001. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 23 Jan 2008. <http://www.csis.org/component/option, com_csis_pubs/ task, view/id,1288>. )
Protecting Yourself Against an RDD Attack
Credit of “Are You Ready” from ready.gov
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The following few slides are from FEMA’s website ready.gov. They list the steps that the government recommends individuals take in the event of an RDD attack. These are steps that you should take even if you do not know if the explosion contains radiation in it or not. As discussed prior to this, we will probably not know if what was detonated was an RDD, so we should take precaution. *read from slide*
Protecting Yourself Against an RDD Attack
Credit of “Are You Ready” from ready.gov
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*read from slide* This is an important slide to take note of because of the various types of radiation that were discussed prior to this. If you are near a building or are already inside a building you should find a room that is in the center of the building with no windows. If you can’t find a room like this, then find a room with minimal windows and make sure that they are closed and sealed. You should also seal the crack between the floor and the door to the room with a thick material. You should also make sure that the ventilation system is shut off in the room because of the radiation that may get into the system. FEMA “Are You Ready?” 171
Protecting Yourself Against an RDD Attack
Credit of “Are You Ready” from ready.gov
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*Read from slide* This information is important if you are outside and not near and accessible building. Make sure to use a piece of cloth to place over you mouth and nose in order to breathe. You should make your way away from the incident and in the opposite direction of the wind, so as to get away from the radiation. Once you are far enough away you should still find a building where you can wait for further information. FEMA, “Are You Ready?” 171
Protecting Yourself Against an RDD Attack
Credit of “Are You Ready” from ready.gov
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*read from slide* This is another thing that is important for those who are outside during an attack. You need to make your way either away from the explosion or into a building as fast as possible. The longer you are outside the more likely you are to expose yourself to dangerous levels of radiation. FEMA “Are You Ready?” 171
Protecting Yourself Against an RDD Attack
Credit of “Are You Ready” from ready.gov
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The last step from FEMA is just reminder that there will be guess work involved in this type of incident. Officials may not know if there was radiation in the attack whenever it first happens and in some areas officials may not have a set plan for this type of incident. Because of this, you need to become aware of these types of procedures on your own. It is still a good idea to keep a radio or television near you to make sure of what is happening after the explosion. FEMA “Are You Ready?” 171 Despite all the efforts of FEMA and other agencies in the federal government to create this information it is of little or no use to the general public since it is mostly only available online.
Government Agency Plans for Radiological Dispersal Devices
Get a Kit
Make a Plan
Be Informed
Both Pictures Credit of ready.gov
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On the website, ready.gov, FEMA lists three these three things to prepare yourself for an attack, be it a natural disaster to an RDD. The website says you should get a kit, make a plan, and be informed. Under the “get a kit” section of the website. It lists that individuals should create an emergency kit that includes water, food, batteries-powered equipment, batteries, flashlight, etc. It also lists keeping important information such as insurance information, identification, and bank account records in water-proof containers with the emergency kit. Under the “make a plan” section of the website, it states that people should make emergency plans with their family and friends so everyone knows where everyone else will be. Such plans may include having an out-of-town contact that everyone can get in touch with in case of an emergency and making sure everyone has phone numbers to contact other family members at work or home. It also lists that you should make plans according to the most likely type of emergency situation you would be in. For instance, with the emergency situation with RDDs, those who live in cities, near government agencies, or major economic areas should make plans in case such a thing would occur. The final section, “be informed,” lists all the different events from a biological threat to winter storms that you can prepare for. The information about a radiation threat mentions much of the same information that this forum has discussed (ready.gov) These three parts of FEMA’s website do provide valuable information; however, there it is still ineffective because of all of this information is online and some things such as the biological, chemical, and radiation threats are not things people usually think to inform themselves about Instead of taking the forefront with the information and the plans, the federal government is allowing other sources to misinform the public about RDDs, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism in general. One such source comes from movies and television shows such as Fox’s “24.” By allowing these sources to provide bad information to the public and by not doing anything about it, the federal agencies might as well be endorsing the information. There are several things that the federal government needs to fix about this problem and others like it. The government needs to be more up front about all the procedures for any type of event be it natural or manmade.
From Top Left to Bottom Right Credit of: 1.) “Are You Ready?” from ready.gov 2.) marusia on Flickr.com 3.) NATO 4.) student.bmj.com
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Hopefully everyone has learned from this presentation what an RDD is, what the threat is, what it can do, and how to prepare more for it. Please join myself and several other professors from George Washington University’s School of Public Policy to discuss more in depth the national security policy pertaining to this and other subjects. Tomorrow’s forum will be on the threat posed by biological weapons. Thank you again to George Washington University for allowing the NSRG to hold this forum.