Radiological Dispersal Device Primer: From A Terrorists Perspective

Abstract

Abstract : Radiological weapons are a growing threat within the United States. Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs), or more commonly referred to as dirty bombs , offer terrorists a potential means to inflict major damage to the American economy and psyche. A RDD is defined as a weapon designed to disperse radioactive material over an area using either conventional explosives or more covert dispersion methods such as air currents. A RDD is considered by many experts to be a weapon of choice in that it offers the potential for 9/11-type returns for the relatively low-tech knowledge required to construct and deploy the weapon. It is clear the American public agrees the RDD threat is real based on the massive growth in information dedicated to the subject on the Internet. A simple Google search conducted in December 2007 incorporating the search term dirty bomb coupled with the year 1987 identified 26,200 hits. Ten years later, using the year 1997, identified twice as many hits - 56,600. Another search for 2005 and then 2006 identified 309,000 and 326,000 hits, respectively. In 2007, the number of hits jumps to 620,000. Clearly, a one year doubling of Internet information related to dirty bombs reveals a heightened awareness of the issue among the public. U.S. local, state and federal governments appear to agree based on efforts to fund and deploy radiation detection equipment, develop/implement consequence management plans and conduct large scale RDD exercises - all in 2007.