WASHINGTON (voa) – U.S. nuclear experts are warning Congress that highly radioactive materials needed to build so-called “dirty bombs” could be acquired easily by terrorists.
The experts told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday that a dirty bomb attack is a real threat to U.S. cities, and could be used more to spread panic than to kill great numbers of people.
Many Americans are concerned about the likelihood of a terrorist attack with nuclear materials since the events of September 11.
A dirty bomb disperses radioactivity with conventional explosives. The experts say a dirty bomb blast would force large-scale evacuations, close down large parts of a city. Buildings that could not be decontaminated would be torn down, causing billions of dollars in economic losses.
They also told the Senate committee that hundreds of thousands of panicked people would rush to hospitals demanding to be tested for radiation exposure. The experts recommend tighter, worldwide control over radioactive material used by industry, medicine, agriculture and scientific research to stop it from falling into the hands of terrorists.
