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International 'Dirty Bomb' Conference Announced, November 13

'Energy Secretary Abraham: US, Russia & International Atomic Energy Agency To Host March 2003 International "Dirty Bomb" Conference In Vienna', US Department of Energy (DOE) Press Release, PR-02-237, November 13.

Following bilateral meetings to discuss joint cooperation between DOE and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on continuing cooperation on nuclear nonproliferation efforts, US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Mohamed El Baradei, Director General of the IAEA, today announced that the United States, Russia and IAEA will jointly sponsor a three-day, international convention on radiological dispersal devices (RDD), or "dirty bombs," in March 2003 in Vienna.

Abraham proposed the conference two-months ago while attending the IAEA's 46th General Conference in Vienna. The International Conference on Promoting the Security of Radiological Materials will be open to all member countries of the IAEA to join together in addressing threats posed by dirty bombs.

Abraham said addressing the new and present threats posed by 'dirty bombs' and their potential use for terror is vital to America's homeland security and international security.

"The detailed instructions on how to make dirty bombs found in Al Qaeda's caves make horrifyingly clear our need to have a firm plan to reduce the vulnerability of dangerous radiological materials to acquisition by those seeking to use them as weapons," Abraham said.

"The primary purpose of this international conference is to address the new and present dangers posed to our communities and further develop the international framework for dealing with the specific threat posed by dirty bombs," Abraham said.

Topics of discussion for the conference will likely cover four major themes: 1) recovering and securing high-risk, poorly controlled radioactive sources; 2) strengthening long-term regulatory control of radiological materials; 3) interdicting illicit trafficking/border controls; and 4) RDD scenarios, possible consequences, mitigation strategies, and emergency response.

Radiological Dispersal Devices, or dirty bombs, are much simpler to make and use than nuclear weapons.

"Unlike nuclear weapons, which require scarce, highly enriched uranium and plutonium for their destructive capabilities, dirty bombs can be made using many different types of dangerous radiological material," Secretary Abraham said. "While dirty bombs are not comparable to nuclear weapons in destructiveness, they are far easier to assemble and employ."

Materials for use in "dirty bombs" exist in many usable forms from medical isotopes to other radiography sources. The comparative ease to which these types of materials are available and can be put to use in a dirty bomb presents a special challenge to international nonproliferation efforts.

The international conference will build on several earlier initiatives launched by Abraham and his counterparts in Russia. In May 2002, Abraham and Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Aleksandr Rumyantesev agreed to work cooperatively to secure radioactive sources in Russia. Recently, news coverage (Washington Post, Monday, November 11, 2002) outlined those joint efforts with Russia and the IAEA to halt the proliferation of such radiological materials.

Earlier this year, in June, the US, Russia, and the IAEA established a tripartite working group on "Securing and Managing Radioactive Sources." This working group is developing a coordinated and proactive strategy to locate, recover, secure, and recycle orphan (radiological) sources through the Former Soviet Union.

"Safeguarding weapons usable material should be the highest priority for the IAEA and its member countries," Abraham said. "However, the organization also needs to seek ways to formally expand its scope to deal with the dangers posed by lower grade nuclear materials. Working with Director General El Baradei and our counterparts in Russia, this conference is a first step to expanding those efforts."

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