UN chief warns of nuclear “dirty bomb” threat and of attacks on nuclear power plants

Amano earlier warned the IAEA-hosted conference against a “false sense of security” over the danger of nuclear terrorism.

Holding up a small lead container that was used to try to traffic highly enriched uranium in Moldova two years ago, the U.N. nuclear chief said it showed a “worrying level of knowledge on the part of the smugglers”.

“This case ended well,” he said, referring to the fact that the material was seized and arrests were made. But he added: “We cannot be sure if such cases are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Obtaining weapons-grade fissile material – highly enriched uranium or plutonium – poses the biggest challenge for militant groups, so it must be kept secure both at civilian and military facilities, experts say.

An apple-sized amount of plutonium in a nuclear device and detonated in a highly populated area could instantly kill or wound hundreds of thousands of people, according to the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG) lobby group.

UN nuclear chief warns of “dirty bomb” threat

Published On Monday, July 01, 2013

By admin. Under: EU, NEWS, Uncategorized

[The article has been redacted and only a comment under a picture remains – Arclight2011part2]

emergency worker takes part in exercises during an emergency response drill to simulate the aftermath of a dirty bomb explosion outside Madrid December 2, 2010.

http://egazette.eu/uncategorized/un-nuclear-chief-warns-of-dirty-bomb-threat/

Fukushima new ‘blueprint’ for terrorists? Harvard Professor: “All you need to do is cut off power for an extended period”

Published: July 1st, 2013 at 9:42 pm ET
By ENENews

Title: Fukushima Shows Nuclear-Terrorism Risks at UN Meeting
Source: Bloomberg
Author: Jonathan Tirone
Date: Jul 1, 2013

Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, whose 2011 meltdowns dislocated 160,000 people, may provide a new blueprint for terrorists seeking to inflict mass disruption, security analysts said at a United Nations meeting.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency convened a weeklong meeting of 1,300 diplomats, scientists and security analysts today in Vienna to examine ways to boost protection against nuclear terrorism. It is the IAEA’s first ministerial conference.

“Fukushima sent a message to terrorists that if you manage to cause a nuclear power plant to melt down, that really causes major panic and disruption in a society,” Matthew Bunn, a Harvard University professor and former White House adviser, said at a briefing. “All you need to do to do that is cut off the power for an extended period of time.” […]

http://enenews.com/fukushima-new-blueprint-for-terrorists-harvard-professor-all-you-need-to-do-is-cut-off-power-for-an-extended-period

IAEA chief sounds warning on nuclear terrorism<

[The News] 02 Jul, 2013
VIENNA: The head of the UN atomic agency warned on Monday against complacency in preventing “nuclear terrorism”, saying progress in recent years should not lull the world into a false sense of security. “Much has been achieved in the past decade,”

Yukiya Amano of the International Atomic Energy Agency told a gathering in Vienna of some 1,200 delegates from around 110 states including 35 ministers to review progress on the issue.
“Many countries have taken effective measures to prevent theft, sabotage, unauthorised access, illegal transfer, or other malicious acts involving nuclear or other radioactive material. Security has been improved at many facilities containing such material.”

Partly as a result, he said,

“there has not been a terrorist attack involving nuclear or other radioactive material.”“But this must not lull us into a false sense of security. If a ‘dirty bomb’ is detonated in a major city, or sabotage occurs at a nuclear facility, the consequences could be devastating.

“Nuclear terrorism” comprises three main risks: an atomic bomb, a “dirty bomb” — conventional explosion spreading radioactive material — and an attack on a nuclear plant. The first, using weapons-grade uranium or plutonium, is generally seen as “low probability, high consequence” — very difficult to pull off but for a determined group of extremists, not impossible.

There are hundreds of tonnes of weapons-usable plutonium and uranium — a grapefruit-sized amount is enough for a crude nuclear weapon that would fit in a van — around the world.

A “dirty bomb” — a “radiological dispersal device” or RDD — is much easier but would be hugely less lethal. But it might still cause mass panic.
“If the Boston marathon bombing (in April this year) had been an RDD, the trauma would be lasting a whole lot longer,” Sharon Squassoni from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told AFP.

Last year alone, the IAEA recorded 17 cases of illegal possession and attempts to sell nuclear materials and 24 incidents of theft or loss. And it says this is the “tip of the iceberg”.
Many cases have involved former parts of the Soviet Union, for example Chechnya, Georgia and Moldova — where in 2011 several people were arrested trying to sell weapons-grade uranium — but not only.

http://hamariweb.com/enews/iaea-chief-sounds-warning-on-nuclear-terrorism_nid942414.aspx

The demise of “[untranslatable]” stimulates Iraq and hopes to ask the IAEA to support nuclear development

Monday, July 1, 2013 17:55

Twilight News /

Iraqi government called on Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to support the country in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry stated for “Twilight News” that its minister “Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq’s delegation chaired an international conference on nuclear security (to strengthen international efforts), held in Vienna.”

The statement added that Zebari “Iraq delivered a speech at the conference highlighted the obligations of Iraq and the implementation of international laws and legislation issued on disarmament and non-proliferation and stressed the importance of strengthening the joint international cooperation frameworks for nuclear risks.”

The statement said that Zebari “reviewed the most important achievements and the steps taken by the Iraqi government to face the dangers of nuclear and weapons of mass destruction, calling on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide support for Iraq in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Iraq’s participation in international conferences and chaired the Conference on Disarmament and out of the provisions of Chapter VII to strengthen Iraq’s position in the international community.

The delegation included the Iraqi Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Policy Planning Hala Shaker, head of the Department of Organizations and International Cooperation Ahmed Bamarni and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) narratives Najib and the head of the National Monitoring Jawad al-Shara and Hussein Abbas, head of the Iraqi to control radioactive sources.

http://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ar&tl=en&u=http://www.shafaaq.com/sh2/index.php/news/iraq-news/60155–qq-iaea-.html

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane to attend IAEA conference in Vienna

01-Jul-2013 | SAPA PR |

Minister Nkoana- Mashabane to attend the International Conference on Nuclear Security in Vienna

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/business/2013/07/01/minister-nkoana-mashabane-to-attend-iaea-conference-in-vienna

Argentina committed to peaceful use of nuclear energy

July 2, 2013 10:36 am

BUENOS AIRES, July 2 — Argentina has ratified its commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.

http://balita.ph/2013/07/02/argentina-committed-to-peaceful-use-of-nuclear-energy/

Governments warn about nuclear terrorism threat

By Fredrik Dahl

VIENNA (Reuters) – More action is needed to prevent militants acquiring plutonium or highly-enriched uranium that could be used in bombs, governments agreed at a meeting on nuclear security in Vienna on Monday, without deciding on any concrete steps.

A declaration adopted by more than 120 states at the meeting said “substantial progress” had been made in recent years to improve nuclear security globally, but it was not enough.

Analysts say radical groups could theoretically build a crude but deadly nuclear bomb if they had the money, technical knowledge and materials needed.

Ministers remained “concerned about the threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism … More needs to be done to further strengthen nuclear security worldwide”, the statement said.

The document “encouraged” states to take various measures such as minimizing the use of highly-enriched uranium, but some diplomats said they would have preferred firmer commitments.

Many countries regard nuclear security as a sensitive political issue that should be handled primarily by national authorities. This was reflected in the statement’s language.

Still, Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which hosted the conference, said the agreement was “very robust” and represented a major step forward.

RADICAL GROUPS’ “NUCLEAR AMBITIONS”

Amano earlier warned the IAEA-hosted conference against a “false sense of security” over the danger of nuclear terrorism.

Holding up a small lead container that was used to try to traffic highly enriched uranium in Moldova two years ago, the U.N. nuclear chief said it showed a “worrying level of knowledge on the part of the smugglers”.

“This case ended well,” he said, referring to the fact that the material was seized and arrests were made. But he added: “We cannot be sure if such cases are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Obtaining weapons-grade fissile material – highly enriched uranium or plutonium – poses the biggest challenge for militant groups, so it must be kept secure both at civilian and military facilities, experts say.

An apple-sized amount of plutonium in a nuclear device and detonated in a highly populated area could instantly kill or wound hundreds of thousands of people, according to the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG) lobby group.

But experts say a so-called “dirty bomb” is a more likely threat than a nuclear bomb. In a dirty bomb, conventional explosives are used to disperse radiation from a radioactive source, which can be found in hospitals or other places that are generally not very well protected.

More than a hundred incidents of thefts and other unauthorized activities involving nuclear and radioactive material are reported to the IAEA every year, Amano said.

“Some material goes missing and is never found,” he said.

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said al Qaeda was still likely to be trying to obtain nuclear material for a weapon.

“Despite the strides we have made in dismantling core al Qaeda we should expect its adherents … to continue trying to achieve their nuclear ambitions,” he said.

(Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/130701/governments-warn-about-nuclear-terrorism-threat

Pakistan’s nuclear facilities ‘safe and secure’: Masood

Tuesday, July 02, 2013
From Print Edition

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan assigns the “highest importance” to ensuring fool-proof safety and security for the country’s nuclear programme, Ambassador Masood Khan told a high-level international conference on nuclear safety on Monday.

“Pakistan’s nuclear materials, facilities and assets are safe and secure,” he said in a speech to the conference being held at the headquarters of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.

Masood Khan, who is leading the Pakistan delegation, said nuclear security within a state was a fundamental national responsibility, as also a strategic global priority.Over the years, he said Pakistan had worked closely with the IAEA to strengthen nuclear security, and was implementing an Action Plan in cooperation with the agency.

“Our nuclear security regime is anchored in the principle of multilayered defence for the entire spectrum of any nuclear security threat – insider, outsider, and cyber threats – and is guided by the concept of the Five Ds, that is, to deter, detect, delay, defend, and destroy,” the Pakistan envoy told delegates from around the world.

“We have established extensive physical protection measures, robust Command and Control structures, comprehensive export controls and an effective regulatory regime to ensure safety and security of nuclear materials and installations,” he said, adding that as the apex body the National Command Authority, chaired by the Prime Minister, exercised command and control over all nuclear development, employment and security matters through its Secretariat – the Strategic Plans Division.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-23837-Pakistans-nuclear-facilities-safe-and-secure:-Masood

Pipavav Shipyard gets FDI clearance to build warships

Updated: Thu, Mar 24 2011. 12 14 PM IST

Mumbai: Pipavav Shipyard Ltd said on Thursday it has received clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board for warship building in the defence sector.

The clearance will help Pipavav bid for warship projects of the Indian Navy, the company said in a statement.

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/AFE4J1VnLwc45ATEQopnMJ/Pipavav-Shipyard-gets-FDI-clearance-to-build-warships.html

Britain lobbies for nuclear export group NSG to admit India

Reuters : Vienna, Sat Jun 15 2013, 12:28 hrs

Britain has stepped up efforts to let India join an influential global body controlling nuclear exports, a move that would boost New Delhi’s standing as an nuclear power but which has faced resistance from China and other countries.

The diplomatic tussle centres on whether emerging power India should be allowed into a key forum deciding rules for civilian nuclear trade, even though it has refused to join an international pact under which it would have to give up its nuclear weapons.

London, Washington, Paris and others argue nuclear-armed India should join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) – established in 1975 to ensure that civilian nuclear exports are not diverted for military purposes.

Britain has pressed its case in a paper prepared ahead of the NSG’s annual meeting this week, arguing India qualifies because of the size of its civilian atomic industry and its commitment to stopping the spread of military material.

Western powers have taken a keen interest in the nuclear emergence of India – particularly its ambition to expand its capacity in the next 20 years by adding nearly 30 reactors, making it an attractive prospect for technology exporters.

But other NSG states have voiced doubt about accepting a member like India that built up a nuclear arsenal outside a global pact set up more than four decades ago to prevent countries from acquiring nuclear arms.

If India joined the NSG, it would be the only member of the suppliers group that has not signed up to the 1970 nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

Beijing’s reservations are believed to be influenced by its ties to its ally Pakistan, India’s rival, which has also tested atomic bombs and is also outside the NPT, analysts say.

India – Asia’s third-largest economy – would need the support of all 48 NSG members to join the secretive cartel that regulates nuclear trade and has a key role in countering nuclear threats and proliferation.

… contd

Insurers face questions about trade with Iran

Miles Costello

Published at 12:01AM, July 2 2013

Lloyd’s of London and Swiss Re are among the leading insurers and reinsurers to have been warned by the New York financial regulator about potential breaches of tough new sanctions against doing business with Iran.

Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, wrote to 20 of the world’s biggest providers of risk cover last week to detail his concerns.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/banking/article3805373.ece

July 2, 2013 - Posted by arclight2011part2 | Uncategorized

No comments yet.

nuclear-news

The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope