NCJ Number
62341
Journal
BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS Volume: 32 Issue: 8 Dated: (OCTOBER 1976) Pages: 29-36
Date Published
1976
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE VULNERABILITY OF THE NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY TO TERRORIST ATTACK AND SABOTAGE IS DESCRIBED AND SUBSTANTIATED BY REFERENCES TO BOMBINGS AND THEFTS WHICH HAVE OCCURRED SINCE 1966.
Abstract
IN THEIR CONTINUING SEARCH FOR NEW DIMENSIONS IN TERROR, TERRORISTS ARE LIKELY TO ATTACK NUCLEAR FACILITIES. ALREADY, SUCH INSTALLATIONS HAVE BEEN THREATENED, BOMBED, AND SABOTAGED, AND THEY MAKE ATTRACTIVE TARGETS FOR TERRORIST BLACKMAIL. SINCE THE PLANTS POSSESS LARGE QUANTITIES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, TERRORISTS GAINING CONTROL OVER THEM OR PART OF THEIR FACILITIES COULD USE FEAR OF RADIATION AS AN INCREASED FACTOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF TERROR. SOONER OR LATER WHEN A THREAT IS NOT HEEDED, OR WHEN A COUNTEROFFENSIVE IS MISHANDLED, MANY PEOPLE WILL DIE. THIS DISASTER IS INEVITABLE BECAUSE TERRORISTS SEEK THE PUBLICITY GENERATED BY LARGE-SCALE VIOLENCE. FURTHERMORE, THEY HAVE ACQUIRED THE WEAPONS AND SKILLS TO DEFEAT THE SIMPLISTIC SECURITY SYSTEMS OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES. NUCLEAR PLANTS POSSESS OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES WHICH ATTRACT TERRORIST ASSAULT. THEY ARE HIGHLY PRESTIGIOUS TARGETS, SYMBOLS OF NATIONAL PROGRESS, AND THEY ARE A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY MAKING THEIR SABOTAGE LIKELY TO AROUSE MUCH ATTENTION. GUERILLAS HAVE ALREADY DESTROYED ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS, AND THIEVES HAVE STOLEN FUEL RODS FROM NUCLEAR PLANTS. NUCLEAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS COULD EASILY BECOME THE IDEAL TARGET FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS DISAFFECTED WITH SOCIETY. IN FUTURE CONFLICTS INVOLVING INDIA, ISRAEL, ARGENTINA, OR VIETNAM, THESE COUNTRIES NUCLEAR FACILITIES WOULD BE EASY TARGETS FOR AIRCRAFT AND ARTILLERY. SECURITY BREACHES INVOLVING THEFT OF URANIUM, UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY AT OPEN GATES, AND FORCED ENTRY ARE LISTED. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)