Thread: Top police officer warns that nuclear attack is inevitable

Top UK police officer warns that nuclear attack is inevitable.

I hope this is not true. However in the world they have created everything is possible. Oh that wild mix of open borders, cheap foreign labour and neo-imperialistic politics of meddling into other people's matters.

Top police officer warns that nuclear attack is inevitable
By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor
Scotland must prepare for ‘absolute terror’
Comment | Read Comments (135)

A NUCLEAR attack by terrorists causing widespread panic, chaos and death is inevitable and will happen soon, a senior Scottish police officer has warned.

Ian Dickinson, who leads the police response to chemical, biological and nuclear threats in Scotland, has painted the bleakest picture yet of the dangers the world now faces.

Efforts to prevent terrorist groups from obtaining materials that could be made into radioactive dirty bombs - or even crude nuclear explosives - are bound to fail, he said. And the result will be horror on an unprecedented scale.

"These materials are undoubtedly out there, and undoubtedly will end up in terrorists' hands, and undoubtedly will be used by terrorists some time soon," he declared. "We must plan for failure and prepare for absolute terror."

Dickinson is assistant chief constable with Lothian and Borders Police, and has responsibility through the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland for protecting Scotland from chemical and nuclear attacks. He has been closely involved in co-ordinating the country's counter-terrorism response.

He said: "An incident will continue for days and all the public will see is people dying without reason. What will we do when our children come home from school with blisters on their skin and their parents don't know what to do?

"What happens if 10 deaths, 50 deaths, 100 deaths start occurring in an unconnected and random way all over the country? The public will be rightly and understandably terrified."

Casualties caused by radiation, which most people don't understand, would trigger widespread "panic and fear", said Dickinson. And the response of the emergency services "would be chaotic" because of a shortage of resources.

The police capability for dealing with the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat - known as CBRN - needs to be increased, he argued. "I haven't got as many officers with protective equipment as I would like," he added. "We must prepare for the worst."

Dickinson delivered his dire warnings to an international conference in Edinburgh last week. More than 300 experts from 70 countries were taking part in a high-level meeting organised by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency on the risks of nuclear terrorism.

The police response to a CBRN incident when it happened would have a "profound effect on our communities which should not be underestimated", he said. The protective clothing that officers would have to wear would look "terrifying".

As Dickinson made the point in his speech on Wednesday, one of his fellow police officers appeared dramatically on the stage dressed head to toe in a regulation black protection suit. With his face completely obscured by a gas mask, the officer then walked slowly through the delegates seated in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Decontamination after a radiation attack would be an "enormous cost", Dickinson contended. It would far exceed the multi-million pound bill for cleaning up the 50 premises contaminated with polonium-210 after the poisoning of the former KGB agent, Alexander Litvinenko, in London last year.

There would also be a huge drain on resources from having to reassure many people who were unharmed but worried. The additional monitoring and clean-up work would be "a major problem", he said.

Worldwide efforts to stem the spread of radioactive materials by the governments represented at the conference were vital, Dickinson concluded. "But the sad fact is that your work will fail."

Dickinson's nightmare analysis was backed up by Dr Frank Barnaby, a nuclear consultant who used to work at the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire. "The amazing thing is that this hasn't happened already," he told the Sunday Herald.

"We should expect it any minute. It's an obvious thing for a terrorist to do. A primitive nuclear explosion would simply eliminate the centre of a city like Glasgow or Edinburgh."

The Edinburgh conference heard a series of other warnings about the risks of radioactive materials being stolen and used to cause devastation.

"As the terrorists look for the next spectacular attack, we know that al-Qaeda in Iraq is calling on nuclear scientists to join in the jihad," said William Nye, director of counter-terrorism and intelligence at the Home Office in London.

Richard Hoskins, from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Office of Nuclear Security in Vienna, revealed that there had been 1266 confirmed incidents in which radioactive materials had been stolen or lost around the world since 1993.

Most involved radiation sources that could be made into dirty bombs, although in 18 instances small amounts of bombs-grade uranium or plutonium had been seized.

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/herald ... itable.php

More reasons to bring our soldiers home, clean out our house, and protect America.

I don't see how having soldiers in the far flung corners of the earth are going to do nothing toward stopping this kind of thing.

Whatever... Did you see where they caught a guy dressed as a bride on his way to commit a bombing? The point is; terrorists don't wait for that ONE big thing, they do whatever whenever they can. The "top cop" who said this is blowing smoke so we're prepared for the gov'ts next lie.

They do and it doesn't take an army for them to achieve their goals.

A few people here in this country could cause some much horror and chaos - and our country could care less what or who is coming across our borders - or where they go once they get here.

I don't know what to even say about this. I'm not prepared. I wish they would come out and give each area of the country details and particular information on what it would be like in that particular area and what we could expect if it happens and give specific instructions on what we as citizens can best do to take care of our families and neighbors if it did happen.

Maybe neighbors could organize a meeting (maybe say, three meetings) and delegate some particular responsibilities to each other, and agree to work together to give us the best fighting chance to get through a situation like this.

Although I get very scared when I read these things, and MAYBE they are trying to scare us, (I don't know), I would rather get ready, and be prepared and then I would not worry as much. At least I would know that we have done all that we can to prepare, if it's true.

I agree that President Bush should order everyone who is in this country ILLEGALLY OUT, for this very reason.

I'd rather they scare us by being truthful with us than to hold back the truth if this is really as strong a possibility as it is sometimes indicated to be.

I agree.

Better to be safe than sorry.

I would say be vigilant, report anyone or anything unusual.

My daughter saw a backpack hanging on the doorknob of one of the service doors in the NY subway. She reported it and it turned out the worker had simply hung his pack on the door since he hadn't planned to be in there long. That seems a little strange, but evidently there was nothing dangerous in it.

The police were very complimentary toward her for being so aware.

Also, have a goodly supply of water, food, and medicenes on hand. If someone is on prescription medication, I would say ask your doctor to give you an extra prescription just to have on hand in case.

Have plenty of blankets, etc., to keep warm if it's cold and the utilties get shut down.

Just be prepared --

Thanks, nntrixie.

That's just it, have water....but I have questions, like how long before even bottled water could become contaminated by radiation? Would bottled water be safe in say 2 days, 3 days?

Should the family shut off ALL water to their house? Should heat and A/C be shut off? Could a fire be made in a fireplace? Will the toothpaste be contaminated? Can the dog go outside to use the bathroom. (doubt it).
We could all use a dependable education on all of these things and answers to at least most of the questions which we would have.

Here's one....I've told my children to gather each other up at school and walk home and wait for my husband and I in a scenario such as this. Can they walk home since it's close by....or would even THAT be the wrong thing to do.

I have so many questions and in an emergency we could be getting conflicting information. I'd rather be a little scared, but KNOW what could be expected and what to do.

Well, I don't know about contamination, etc.

I would say if the water inside your home, in jugs, bottles, etc., can be contaminated, or the toothpaste, there's not a lot we could do that would protect ourselves, otherwise - assuming we can't afford an underground shelter or one of those 'safe rooms', etc.

You reap what you sow!!

As we just went through replacing our "Emergency Mgr," here in our area, if one depends on the government or some Super Man to come and save our day, we might find ourselves in the same predicament as 9/11.

Be a good boy scout and be prepared before anything devastating happens. In any event of a National Disaster or Emergency, heaven forbid, it's better to be safe than sorry.

To A Better Day