Nuclear weapons in terrorist hands?January 16, 2004Are nuclear weapons of the simpler variety in the hands of a terrorist group- a realistic threat? That question has been studied in a report from FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency), and the conclusion is that the possibility of nuclear charges being used for terror ends cannot be written off. How hard is it to make a functioning primitive nuclear charge? What competences and resources are required? Is it possible to get hold of functioning raw materials? Is it possible to use radiation detection to reveal nuclear weapons or nuclear weapon materials? What impact would a primitive nuclear charge have if it exploded in a densely populated area? These are some of the questions addressed and answered by a team of scientists at FOI in Sweden in a new report. The report finds that the risk of a terrorist group assembling a primitive nuclear charge that could produce a nuclear explosion is great enough to be taken seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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