Dirty Bombs 

Uranium and Dirty Bombs
At a 1 June 2004 press conference, the Department of Justice announced that Jose Padilla, the "Dirty Bomber," had planned to make a dirty bomb, or Radiological Dispersal Device, using uranium. Even though a following Associated Press article pointed outthat uranium is not particularly radioactive and would not be a useful dirty bomb material, uranium-as-dirty-bomb-material reports continue in the press, even in prestigious newspapers.

What to Do if Attacked
In the event of a radiological weapons incident, take these basic steps.

Dirty Bombs
A dirty bomb is likely to be a primitive device in which TNT or fuel oil and fertilizer are combined with highly radioactive materials. The detonated bomb vaporizes or aerosolizes the isotopes, propelling them into the air.

Weapons of Mass Disruption
"Weapons of Mass Disruption" appeared in the November 2002 issue of the Scientific American.

FAS' Yassif explains dirty bomb cleanup
FAS' Jamie Yassif gave a talk at the American Physical Society on the physical challenges of cleaning up in the wake of an attack with a radiological weapon, and the policy challenges decisionmakers should address before such an event happens.

FAS President Henry Kelly testifies before Congress
FAS President Henry Kelly testified before congress on the possible consequences of dirty bombs.