Nuclear Terrorism

Nuclear Terrorism Identification, Primary Response, Effects

Official use only The information contained in this briefing is classified as Official Use Only. Information is intended for law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel only and may not be divulged or released to the general public.

Objectives • Background: Nature of event • Identification by location & nature • Detection issues • First responder preparedness • Follow-on response • Consequence management

Nature of the Event • Nuclear Weapons • Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) • Radiation Emitting Devices • Threats & Misinformation • Other threats

Nuclear Weapons • Nuclear Bombs • Fission (Atomic Bomb) • Fusion (Hydrogen Bomb) • Enhanced Radiation (Neutron) • “Backpack” devices • Soviet Union • United States • Improvised Devices • 3rd World

Weapon Designs • Gun Type • Apple core • Gun barrel • Fast enough • Implosion Type • Sphere • Fast enough • Perfectly symetrical

Nuclear Weapon Effectiveness

Nuclear Weapons: Sources • Stolen • From where? • Purchased • Former Russian states • Self built • Obtaining material • Technology

Self Built Weapons • Technically possible • No way to test • Technology very precise • Suitcase nukes • Gun design only • Only U235 • Cannot use P239

Nuclear Weapons: Effectiveness

Radiological Dispersal Devices “Dirty Bomb”

RDD • Nuclear Material + Boom • Bomb/explosive • Nuclear Material + Spray • Liquid material • Nuclear Material + Heat • Thermite

Effectiveness: Form • Solid • Single piece • Powder, dust, particulate • Liquid • Natural state • Dissolved Material • Gas • Very unlikely

Effectiveness: Device Design • High Order Explosive • TNT/C-4/ANFO • Low Order Explosive • Black powder/ANFO • Pyrotechnic Device • Thermite • LNG/Propane • Kinetic Energy Device • Car crash • Gravity Bomb

Effectiveness: Range • Amount of explosive • Design • Package • Location

Non-Explosive Weapons • Salting • Radiation Emitting Device • Threat • Misinformation • Attack on fixed sites • Attack on transportation

Salting • Dispersal of RAM by deliberate placement • Dust, powder, liquid • Spread by air, people, traffic • Exposure + contamination • Effectiveness? • Goianna, Brazil • 100,000 contaminated • 3 direct deaths

Radiation Emitting Devices“Easter Eggs” • RAM source • Solid • High-level • Placed in high-traffic (human) area • Exposure – no contamination • Effectiveness? • Little direct harm • Terror factor very high

Threat and/or Misinformation • Threaten to use • False claims following simple bombing • Claim government in lying • Credibility • Effectiveness? • Credibility issues • Use of media’s competitiveness

Other Nuclear Threats • Attack on power plants • Attack on material in transport • Attack on academic facility

Which Device? Depends… • Material available • Amount & Type • Intent • Cause harm or just panic • Desired outcome • Deaths or disruption

Effectiveness Deaths/Injuries Weapon Salting “Easter Egg” RDD Threat

Effectiveness Panic/Disruption Weapon RDD Salting “Easter Egg” Threat

RDD Assessment: Location • High profile • Nationally significant • Historically significant • High value • High economic importance • Cost to replace/decontaminate • Long-term impact • Farmland

RDD Assessment: Nature • Deny use • Destroy value • Create panic • Kill/Injure • Long-term concerns

Nuclear Terrorism