Dirty Bomb
Author
Discussion

dubaiguy

Original Poster:

356 posts

285 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all
Anyone watch Horizon about what a dirty bomb can do?
I trust many more people will now understand one of the reasons why Bush wants to take out Saddam Hussein, because you can bet he will use this sort of terrorism given half a chance.

alan_driver

1,281 posts

285 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all
is it nuclear?

Graham.J

5,420 posts

287 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
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I did watch it, pretty frightening stuff.

Judging by the 'simplicity' and effectivness shown in the documentary I don't see why Saddam, if he was going to do it hasn't already.

P*Ting

5,618 posts

286 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
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Alan,

I missed the program, but from my understanding it's a kind of hybrid; a conventional bomb packed with radioactive material.

The detonation is a perfectly normal explosion but it spreads radioactive dust over the local area.

Nasty weapon.

alan_driver

1,281 posts

285 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all
Thanks. Worrying thing I found out today. It wouldnt be that hard for a 16 year old to make a nuclear bomb in his shed! From house hold materials, Wouldnt cause mass destruction, but dangerous never the less.

plotloss

67,280 posts

298 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all
Scary stuff indeed.

Basic premise is that its a mix, the conventional part providing a propellant for the nuclear material.

Basically if they set one off outside St Pauls Cathedral we wouldnt be able to go with in 7 miles for about 10 years or so...

Shocking really and they are questioning whether they should put gamma radiation sensors in the airports and train stations...

Matt.

P*Ting

5,618 posts

286 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all
You'd have to sponsor the kid a sizable amount of weapons grade plutonium and a bit of c4, also a transit to carry his 1 tonne bomb around in, but aside from that it's true, anyone could make one.

Sphere of WGP in the centre, refined to just below critical mass, several uranium spikes around the outside.

The C4 detonates, pushing each spike into the plutonium, even if they don't all hit together you still get a one megatonne 'fizzle' that could wipe out most of the area of london covered in 'The Getaway'.


Aside : Any money there will be such an attack, the terrorists will be caught and they'll say they were stuck for ideas until they found this great recipie (*sp?) on some TVR site...

deltaf

1,384 posts

285 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
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Thats not entirely accurate P*Ting.
Just mixing some of that lovely caesium chloride with a half kilo of gunpowder or smokeless powder and then igniting it will send the particles of radioactive caesium into the air where it can be breathed in by you and me.
Thats the scary part, thats why there dosnt even have to be an explosion.

alan_driver

1,281 posts

285 months

Thursday 30th January 2003
quotequote all

P*Ting said: You'd have to sponsor the kid a sizable amount of weapons grade plutonium and a bit of c4, also a transit to carry his 1 tonne bomb around in, but aside from that it's true, anyone could make one.



I wasnt talking about something this extreme but I see your point. As for the recepie and where to get ingredients....e-mail me for details, lol. DONT.

lx993

12,214 posts

285 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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Dirty bombs don't have to be radioactive - any long-lasting toxin that is stable after being blown up by bog-standard explosive will do.
Obviously medical-grade radiation sources will work fine (e.g. the radioactive caesium chloride) and they're great for public panic, but pack a load of weaponised anthrax around a low-powered bomb in the City and you're going to scatter the particles all over the place.

It's scary but just another reason to try to prevent explosive entering the Ring of Steel.

hertsbiker

6,443 posts

299 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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Time to kick ass in the middle east.

david010167

1,397 posts

291 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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Scary program, I do not not what worried me more, the fact that it is easy to make, or the fact an hour long advert of its merits was just broadcast. Creeep stuff.

David

zippy500

1,883 posts

297 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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It was scary, but I would have thought terrorists would prefer instant destruction and maximum death quickly from conventyional bombs. Not sure it was very clever of the programme giving examples of how to deploy these bombs mind you, you never know who is watching.

farmboy

320 posts

288 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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zippy500 said: It was scary, but I would have thought terrorists would prefer instant destruction and maximum death quickly from conventyional bombs.

I would have thought that the opposite was true. The name suggests they are out to create terror amongst thier "victims". And what better way to be terrorised, than to KNOW that you are living under a death sentance.



GregE240

10,857 posts

295 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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Yes, it was scary to see what a bit of Semtex and some of Oppenheimer's waste can do to a city.

But I can't see some hyper-religious nutters exploding one in a major city, mainly because there's no instant death. Sure, there will be casualties in the vicinity but the effects of the radiation would take months, even years to appear.

Based on previous attacks, I can't see it being used. Events such as the 11th September and the explosion in Bali made headlines because of the sheer size of the attack plus the fatalities.

Good telly though. I half expected Nick Ross' voice at the end assuring us to not "have nightmares".

plotloss

67,280 posts

298 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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Thats the really scary thing though Greg, as matey said its an economic weapon. One phone call saying they have let one off in the tube system and london would very quickly grind to a halt...

Matt.

CarZee

13,382 posts

295 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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plotloss said: Thats the really scary thing though Greg, as matey said its an economic weapon. One phone call saying they have let one off in the tube system and london would very quickly grind to a halt....
Yep - or they could just build a feckin great snowball - that would likely have the same effect judging from yesterday...

Point being, who needs a nuclear bomb to fcuk London up? You've already got Ken & his Weapons of Mass Disruption on that assignment.

plotloss

67,280 posts

298 months

Friday 31st January 2003
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CarZee said: [You've already got Ken & his Weapons of Mass Disruption on that assignment.


Very good!

Go forth and socially commentate my friend...

Matt.