Heard this, anyone know truth or not?

Straha · Post by **Straha** » 2004-01-07 09:10pm

Right, I heard that the FBI/CIA/NSA/FU2/NIMBY/WTF/ETC. now strongly suspect that a dirty bomb was indeed blown up in NYC during the holidays, but that no-one noticed, and that it was indeed quite ineffective. Only thing is I can't find any news corroborating it (Well, I only checked DrudgeReport, but still) so anyone know if this is true?

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2004-01-07 09:11pm

I have not heard anything. Ive been listening to radio news most of the day and am always checking internet news every few hours.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-01-07 09:14pm

I haven't heard anything about it. Then again, if someone exploded radioactive garbage over the streets of New York, would anyone really be able to tell the difference?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-01-07 09:18pm

this probably got twisted

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dy ... ge=printer

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-01-08 12:19am

Speaking of Dirty Bombs, could Americium be used in one, or to make one by transmutation to something heavier? the possibiilty of taking apart a smoke detector and making a dirty bomb out of it could be very real, and very easilly gotten under the radar. I mean, who'd notice a purchase of a few hundred smoke detectors?

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-01-08 01:11am

kojikun wrote:Speaking of Dirty Bombs, could Americium be used in one, or to make one by transmutation to something heavier? the possibiilty of taking apart a smoke detector and making a dirty bomb out of it could be very real, and very easilly gotten under the radar. I mean, who'd notice a purchase of a few hundred smoke detectors?

Americium in smoke detectors ?

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-01-08 01:47am

I would think that sort of thing is actually somewhat checked for, ever since the one kid who managed to build a small nuclear reactor doing just that.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-01-08 03:49am

evilcat4000 wrote:
kojikun wrote:Speaking of Dirty Bombs, could Americium be used in one, or to make one by transmutation to something heavier? the possibiilty of taking apart a smoke detector and making a dirty bomb out of it could be very real, and very easilly gotten under the radar. I mean, who'd notice a purchase of a few hundred smoke detectors?
Americium in smoke detectors ?

Yeah, its in Smoke Detectors. The famous "radioactive boyscout" got his nuclear material from smoke detectors and gas lamp mantles. You'd have to take apart at least a thousand smoke detectors to get even a kilogram of the stuff.

BlkbrryTheGreat · Post by **BlkbrryTheGreat** » 2004-01-08 04:53am

Not that it really matters, you pratically have to be standing ontop of a dirty bomb when it goes off for the radiation to have a good chance to kill you.

Darksider · Post by **Darksider** » 2004-01-08 07:11am

If you're standing on top of it, wouldn't the regular explosion kill you first?

I suppose the only "Advantage" for dirty bombs would be the scare factor then.