Russian experts say Al Qaeda likely bullshitting about having suitcase nukes - GoFuckYourself.com

erehwon · 03-25-2004, 10:22 PM

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG8D5PM7L1.DTL

Moscow -- Ayman al-Zawahri, al Qaeda's No. 2 man, has bragged that the terrorist group bought suitcase nuclear bombs from former Soviet nuclear scientists in Moscow and Central Asia, but experts on Russia's nuclear program dismiss the statements, saying Osama bin Laden's deputy is bluffing.

[...]

Russian nuclear officials and experts on the Russian and post-Soviet nuclear programs adamantly deny that al Qaeda or any other terrorist group could have bought Soviet-made suitcase nukes, which were built in the 1960s for use against NATO and U.S. targets by special Soviet military intelligence agents.

"(Al-Zawahri) is bluffing," an unnamed official at the Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency told the official Ria-Novosti news agency Monday. "It is practically impossible not only to buy nuclear weapons but even their components in Russia."

U.S. security experts have also said it is unlikely that bin Laden is close to acquiring nuclear weapons technology, although he clearly wants it. A U.S. federal indictment handed down in 1998 charges that beginning in 1993 al Qaeda members "made efforts to procure enriched uranium for the purpose of developing nuclear weapons.''

Maxim Shingarkin, a former major in the Russian military's secretive 12th Department, which is in charge of strategic weapons, said suitcase nuclear bombs, if they are still in Russia's arsenal, were too difficult to maintain and had too short a lifespan to make them feasible as terrorist weapons. He said Russia only had built about 100 suitcase bombs and had not produced any new ones since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union

liquidmoe · 03-25-2004, 10:24 PM

Wonder what the fallout from a suitcase nuclear bomb would be?

KRL · 03-25-2004, 10:26 PM

Yehhhh that's the ticket.

Typical governmental deny, deny, deny . . .

Bansheelinks · 03-25-2004, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by liquidmoe
Wonder what the fallout from a suitcase nuclear bomb would be?

If exploded in the NYC Biz district, it would be an economic calamity too great to contemplate. Most of the money in the world flows thru there.

playa · 03-25-2004, 10:31 PM

I always believe the Russians to be honest people and would never do anything like sell nukes to terroists for money

Ic3m4nZ · 03-25-2004, 10:35 PM

They will probably use them somewhere in one of 52 states between Canada and Mexico ..

SoundMan · 03-25-2004, 11:07 PM

next they will have macdaddy nukes.

Roger · 03-25-2004, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by playa
I always believe the Russians to be honest people and would never do anything like sell nukes to terroists for money

yeah, especially since they don't need the money

Mr. Marks · 03-25-2004, 11:19 PM

Russians will be Russians, I guess they will just do their business if they think they need to go through with it.

erehwon · 03-25-2004, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by liquidmoe
Wonder what the fallout from a suitcase nuclear bomb would be?

Two links of additional interest.

Best report from open sources on suitcase nukes
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/020923.htm

The Effects of Nuclear War Office of Technology Assessment (May 1979)
Chapter 2, page 33 has what might happen with a 1KT terrorist weapon.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/7906/790604.pdf

420 · 03-25-2004, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ic3m4nZ
They will probably use them somewhere in one of 52 states between Canada and Mexico ..

52 you say?

Ic3m4nZ · 03-25-2004, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 420

52 you say?

You don't count hawaii and alaska it's impossible.

<IMX> · 03-25-2004, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ic3m4nZ

You don't count hawaii and alaska it's impossible.

reynold · 03-25-2004, 11:51 PM

They always like to scare the shit out of us,
people.

03-25-2004, 10:22 PM	#1
erehwon Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: A secure undisclosed location... Posts: 3,759	Russian experts say Al Qaeda likely bullshitting about having suitcase nukes http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG8D5PM7L1.DTL Moscow -- Ayman al-Zawahri, al Qaeda's No. 2 man, has bragged that the terrorist group bought suitcase nuclear bombs from former Soviet nuclear scientists in Moscow and Central Asia, but experts on Russia's nuclear program dismiss the statements, saying Osama bin Laden's deputy is bluffing. [...] Russian nuclear officials and experts on the Russian and post-Soviet nuclear programs adamantly deny that al Qaeda or any other terrorist group could have bought Soviet-made suitcase nukes, which were built in the 1960s for use against NATO and U.S. targets by special Soviet military intelligence agents. "(Al-Zawahri) is bluffing," an unnamed official at the Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency told the official Ria-Novosti news agency Monday. "It is practically impossible not only to buy nuclear weapons but even their components in Russia." U.S. security experts have also said it is unlikely that bin Laden is close to acquiring nuclear weapons technology, although he clearly wants it. A U.S. federal indictment handed down in 1998 charges that beginning in 1993 al Qaeda members "made efforts to procure enriched uranium for the purpose of developing nuclear weapons.'' Maxim Shingarkin, a former major in the Russian military's secretive 12th Department, which is in charge of strategic weapons, said suitcase nuclear bombs, if they are still in Russia's arsenal, were too difficult to maintain and had too short a lifespan to make them feasible as terrorist weapons. He said Russia only had built about 100 suitcase bombs and had not produced any new ones since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union __________________ Money NEVER $leep$...

03-25-2004, 10:24 PM	#2
liquidmoe Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NY Posts: 4,994	Wonder what the fallout from a suitcase nuclear bomb would be? __________________ Take Luck!

03-25-2004, 10:26 PM	#3
KRL Entrepreneur Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: USA Posts: 31,429	Yehhhh that's the ticket. Typical governmental deny, deny, deny . . . __________________ If you would like to develop your domains, you can lease inexpensive foreign labor from the leaders in the field at iWebmasters.com TO LOWER YOUR COSTS AND INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTION! * * * * * * * * * * * * Domains Adult News KRL's Newsletter Biz Tips Just Listed Domains

03-25-2004, 10:31 PM	#5
playa Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: atlanta, GA Posts: 6,432	I always believe the Russians to be honest people and would never do anything like sell nukes to terroists for money

03-25-2004, 10:35 PM	#6
Ic3m4nZ Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Montreal! Posts: 6,285	They will probably use them somewhere in one of 52 states between Canada and Mexico ..

03-25-2004, 11:07 PM	#7
SoundMan So Fucking Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: MidWest Posts: 3,471	next they will have macdaddy nukes.

03-25-2004, 11:19 PM	#9
Mr. Marks Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Wherever I want Posts: 7,517	Russians will be Russians, I guess they will just do their business if they think they need to go through with it.

03-25-2004, 11:51 PM	#14
reynold Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Global Traveler Posts: 51,271	They always like to scare the shit out of us, people.