Atomic Terrorism

From The Scotsman:

A BRITISH terror cell member planned to buy a nuclear bomb, while others plotted attacks on a shopping centre, nightclub and the power network, the Old
Bailey heard yesterday.

The details emerged on the second day of the prosecution's case against seven men accused of planning to carry out explosions using bombs made from ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

David Waters, QC, told the jury that Salahuddin Amin, 31, from Luton, Bedfordshire, was told about a "radio-isotope bomb" while he was in Pakistan.

Mr Waters said the plan was to buy the device from the Russian mafia in Belgium.

There never was any realistic chance that they could get a nuclear bomb on the black market. However this shows us what the terrorists would do if they got the chance.

Pakistan has the bomb. Since Saudi Arabia financed the Paki nuclear program it is highly likely that they have a few of the estimated 50-100 bombs that the Pakistani’s have produced. Both of these nations have radicalized populations that have more sympathy for Osama bin Laden than they do with their own governments.

Should either of those states be destabilized and toppled by Islamists it is a virtual certainty that at least one functioning nuclear device, not “dirty bomb”, but actual A-bomb, will find its way into terrorist hands.

Now Iran is far along in its nuclear program. That is another nation that would certainly supply terrorists with nuclear weapons, if they don’t just use them themselves. The US and Israel need to have plans to enter these nations and secure their nuclear weapons and nuclear materials on a moment’s notice.

I wonder if we do. I also wonder if Europe is even capable of understanding that this is their problem too. And if Europe is aware of the fact that they have a problem do they any longer have the will to do anything about it?