How real is the threat...

[Devonian]

[NorthernRaider]

In my mind I've not seen any confirmation of the theft, just boasts from ISIS, Also as far as I know its uranium ore unrefined and hardly worth nicking, then if it is refined it will be quite radioactive and would not get past any scanners in the UKs ports. Besides I think if ISIs did have such stuff they would far rather used it on Israel than us.

[bigpaul]

terrorism is all about the "terror" bit, all they have to do is threaten to do something they don't actually have to do it.

[NorthernRaider]

Dirty bombs are more a case of being economic weapons rather than people killers, they are designed to pollute valuable land with isotopes and make it cost a fortune to clear up.

[bigpaul]

don't know much about this sort of thing, how would they get the isotope thingies into this country? would a Geiger counter pick it up?

[NorthernRaider]

If its refined it will be very radio active and should set off every scanner in every port.

[Devonian]

Dirty bombs are more a case of being economic weapons rather than people killers, they are designed to pollute valuable land with isotopes and make it cost a fortune to clear up.

Exactly my point.

don't know much about this sort of thing, how would they get the isotope thingies into this country? would a Geiger counter pick it up?

Admittedly it would be easier to target Paris, or Rome, or Berlin, or Madrid etc as they can literally drive the material across the border from Syria or Iraqi and go overland into Europe. But at the same time, what's to stop them (other than their own capabilities!!!) of sailing a boat or motor cruiser across the channel and off loading onto a isolated south coast beach ......

But as NR says, whether or not they actually have the material we don't really know, but I would say they certainly seem to have the capability to engineer a dirty bomb.

[bigpaul]

Cornwall always used to be the place if you wanted to land anything off a boat onto a beach, all those deserted little coves and beaches!!

[Devonian]

Cornwall always used to be the place if you wanted to land anything off a boat onto a beach, all those deserted little coves and beaches!!

Yep, and we still get occasional news reports of bales of drugs found floating in the water around some isolated cove.

[bigpaul]

yep, used to be Rum and Baccy, now its drugs, some time in the future it could be isotopes??? I'm surprised the people smugglers don't come in that way instead of trying to get on a lorry at Calais.