Nuclear terrorism

8 Septembre 2015

September 7, 2015

07.09.2015_No169 / News

Amano Calls For Urgent Action On Protection Of Nuclear Facilities

http://www.nucnet.org/all-the-news/2015/09/07/amano-calls-for-urgent-action-on-protection-of-nuclear-facilities

7 Sep (NucNet): Countries must take the threat of nuclear terrorism seriously by ensuring that amendments to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) that oblige countries to protect nuclear facilities such as nuclear stations enter into force as soon as possible, International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Yukiya Amano has said.

Writing on the Project Syndicate website, Mr Amano said amendments to the 1987 CPPNM that would make it harder for terrorists to obtain nuclear material have yet to enter into force. The resulting vulnerability “needs to be addressed urgently”, he said.

In July 2005, signatories to the CPPNM agreed to amend it to address the risk of terrorism more effectively. The new measures would make it more difficult for terrorists to cause a widespread release of radioactive material by attacking a nuclear power station or detonating a radioactive dispersal device – commonly known as a dirty bomb.

But before the amendment can enter into force, two-thirds of the 152 signatories to the original CPPNM must ratify it. While significant progress has been made – in July, the US, Italy, and Turkey did so – at least 14 more countries are needed.

The original Convention focused only on the international transport of nuclear material, and did not cover the protection of nuclear facilities.

The amendment adopted 10 years ago would oblige countries to protect nuclear facilities and any nuclear material used, stored, or transported domestically. It would expand cooperation on locating and recovering stolen or smuggled nuclear material and coordinate the response to any attack on a nuclear facility. It would also make nuclear trafficking a criminal offence and require signatories to cooperate on improving national systems of physical protection and minimising the consequences of sabotage.

Mr Amano said the fact that there has never been a major terrorist attack involving nuclear or other radioactive material “should not blind us to the severity of the threat”. He said: “There is evidence that terrorist groups have tried to acquire the material needed to construct a crude nuclear explosive device, or a dirty bomb.”

The amount of nuclear material in the world is increasing, he said. Since 1999, the amount of such material being used for peaceful purposes has increased by 70 percent – a trend that will continue as the use of nuclear power grows. “It is essential that effective measures are in place to ensure that these materials are not misused or misplaced, whether accidentally or intentionally.”

Since 1995, the IAEA’s member states have reported nearly 2,800 incidents involving radioactive material escaping regulatory control, Mr Amano said. Although only a handful of these incidents involved material that could be used to make a nuclear explosive device, a relatively small amount of radioactive material could be combined with conventional explosives to create a dirty bomb. Such a weapon could be capable of killing many people, contaminating large urban areas, and sparking mass panic.

Mr Amano said much has been achieved in the secure management of nuclear material since the attacks on the US in September 2001 prompted a renewed focus on the risks of terrorism. Many countries have instituted effective measures to prevent the theft, sabotage, or illegal transfer of nuclear or other radioactive material, and security at many nuclear facilities has been improved. “But much more needs to be done,” he said.

The article is online: http://bit.ly/1UwwFvV

Background

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was signed in Vienna and New York on 3 March 1980 and is the only international legally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material. It establishes measures related to the prevention, detection and punishment of offences relating to nuclear material.

A conference was held in July 2005 to amend the Convention and strengthen its provisions. The amended Convention makes it legally binding for signatories to protect nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport. It also provides for expanded cooperation between and among states on measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear material, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offences.

For more information: www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/nuclearsecurity

Nuclear terrorism a threat without global security co-operation

Source : The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/nuclear-terrorism-a-threat-without-global-security-co-operation/story-e6frg6ux-1227515263591?sv=b3e6e367e8c80aff4040193025e3a554

September 7, 2015 12:00AM

Nuclear terrorism is, in the words of US President Barack Obama, “the gravest danger we face”. But while few would dispute this characterisation, the world has unfinished business in minimising the threat. Ten years after world leaders agreed to amend the landmark 1987 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material to make it harder for terrorists to obtain nuclear material, the new measures have yet to enter into force. The resulting vulnerability needs to be addressed urgently.
In July 2005, signatories to the CPPNM agreed to amend the convention to address the risk of terrorism more effectively. The new measures that were introduced would make it more difficult for terrorists to cause a widespread release of radioactive material by attacking a nuclear power plant or detonating a radioactive dispersal device — commonly known as a dirty bomb.
Before the amendment can enter into force, two-thirds of the 152 signatories to the original convention must ratify it. While significant progress has been made — in July, the US, Italy, and Turkey did so — at least 14 more countries are needed.
The fact that there has never been a major terrorist attack involving nuclear or other radioactive material should not blind us to the severity of the threat. There is evidence that terrorist groups have tried to acquire material to construct a crude nuclear explosive device, or a dirty bomb.
In 2011, Moldovan police seized highly enriched uranium from smugglers who were trying to sell it. The smugglers, exhibiting a worrying level of technical knowledge, had tried to evade detection by building a shielded container. Thanks to efforts by Moldova, with the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to boost its nuclear security capabilities, the material was identified and confiscated, and the smugglers were arrested.
The amount of nuclear material in the world is increasing. Since 1999, the amount of such material being used for peaceful purposes has risen by 70 per cent — a trend that will continue as the use of nuclear power grows. It is essential that effective measures are in place to ensure these materials are not misused or misplaced — accidentally or intentionally.
Since 1995, the IAEA’s member states have reported nearly 2800 incidents involving radioactive material escaping regulatory control. Although only a handful of these incidents involved material that could be used to make a nuclear explosive device, a relatively small amount of radioactive material could be combined with conventional explosives to create a dirty bomb. Such a weapon could be capable of killing many people, contaminating large areas, and sparking mass panic.
The original convention focused only on the international transport of nuclear material, and did not cover the protection of nuclear facilities. The amendment adopted 10 years ago would oblige countries to protect nuclear facilities and any nuclear material used, stored, or transported domestically. It would expand co-operation on locating and recovering stolen or smuggled nuclear material and co-ordinate the response to any attack on a nuclear facility. It would make nuclear trafficking a criminal offence and require signatories to co-operate on national systems of physical protection and minimising the consequences of sabotage.
Protecting nuclear material is not just an issue for countries that use nuclear power. Terrorists and criminals will try to exploit any vulnerability in the global security system. Any country could find itself used as a transit point — just as any country could become the target of an attack.
Effective international co-operation is crucial. The consequences of a security failure could be a catastrophe that transcends borders. All countries must take the threat of nuclear terrorism seriously. The most effective way to do so would be to ensure that the amendment to the CPPNM enters into force as soon as possible.
Yukiya Amano is director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.