WikiLeaks XXIV: Security for Radioactive Materials in Yemen Goes From Bad to Nonexistent
Yemen as careless about security for nuclear materials as Libya.
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Showing posts with label Nuclear material. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear material. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Four-Year Nuclear Security Plan Needs More Detail, GAO Says
Four-Year Nuclear Security Plan Needs More Detail, GAO Says
Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20101216_6900.php
The Obama administration should address in more specific terms how it plans to achieve its goal of securing all loose nuclear material in the world within four years, congressional investigators said in a report released yesterday (see GSN, April 14).
The National Security Council has signed off on a comprehensive approach for the material security plan "that describes the scope and objectives of the interagency effort and identifies the main efforts by U.S. agencies and programs to support the initiative," according to a summary of the Government Accountability Office report.
"However, this interagency strategy lacks specific details concerning how the initiative will be implemented, including the identity of vulnerable foreign nuclear material sites and facilities to be addressed, agencies and programs responsible for addressing each site, planned activities at each location, potential challenges and strategies for overcoming those obstacles, anticipated time lines, and cost estimates," according to the document. "As a result, key details associated with the initiative are unclear, including its overall estimated cost, time frame, and scope of planned work."
Congressional auditors found that two Energy Department nonproliferation programs -- the Materials Consolidation and Conversion program and the Global Threat Reduction Initiative -- have worked to lock down Russia's nuclear warheads and supplies less effectively than the department's Material Protection, Control and Accounting program (see GSN, Dec 13).
Moscow's uncertain dedication to joint U.S.-Russian nuclear threat reduction work has placed in question the future of the three programs, all of which are overseen by the Energy Department's semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, the report asserts.
The MPC&A effort faced an uphill drive to augment measures for protecting a number of Russian atomic sites against internal and external security risks and turning responsibility for the new safeguards over to Moscow, the document states. The difficulties were likely to prevent compliance with a U.S. legal mandate that Russia fully take over the MPC&A program by the start of 2013, the report says. The auditors urged the Energy Department and National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a more precise breakdown of the initiative's uncompleted objectives and anticipated expenses in Russia.
In China and India, political concerns have restricted NNSA nuclear security activities to the exchange of security best practices, training and demonstration efforts, the report notes.
The Energy Department agency was moving forward in negotiations with South Africa, Ukraine and other nations to expedite the removal of potential nuclear bomb ingredients within their borders, the auditors found (U.S. Government Accountability Office release, Dec. 15).
The National Security Council has signed off on a comprehensive approach for the material security plan "that describes the scope and objectives of the interagency effort and identifies the main efforts by U.S. agencies and programs to support the initiative," according to a summary of the Government Accountability Office report.
"However, this interagency strategy lacks specific details concerning how the initiative will be implemented, including the identity of vulnerable foreign nuclear material sites and facilities to be addressed, agencies and programs responsible for addressing each site, planned activities at each location, potential challenges and strategies for overcoming those obstacles, anticipated time lines, and cost estimates," according to the document. "As a result, key details associated with the initiative are unclear, including its overall estimated cost, time frame, and scope of planned work."
Congressional auditors found that two Energy Department nonproliferation programs -- the Materials Consolidation and Conversion program and the Global Threat Reduction Initiative -- have worked to lock down Russia's nuclear warheads and supplies less effectively than the department's Material Protection, Control and Accounting program (see GSN, Dec 13).
Moscow's uncertain dedication to joint U.S.-Russian nuclear threat reduction work has placed in question the future of the three programs, all of which are overseen by the Energy Department's semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, the report asserts.
The MPC&A effort faced an uphill drive to augment measures for protecting a number of Russian atomic sites against internal and external security risks and turning responsibility for the new safeguards over to Moscow, the document states. The difficulties were likely to prevent compliance with a U.S. legal mandate that Russia fully take over the MPC&A program by the start of 2013, the report says. The auditors urged the Energy Department and National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a more precise breakdown of the initiative's uncompleted objectives and anticipated expenses in Russia.
In China and India, political concerns have restricted NNSA nuclear security activities to the exchange of security best practices, training and demonstration efforts, the report notes.
The Energy Department agency was moving forward in negotiations with South Africa, Ukraine and other nations to expedite the removal of potential nuclear bomb ingredients within their borders, the auditors found (U.S. Government Accountability Office release, Dec. 15).
Monday, November 8, 2010
Japan, U.S. to Promote Nuclear Security from GSN Daily News
Japan and the United States plan to organize a bilateral working group to help prevent an act of nuclear terrorism, Kyodo News reported Saturday (see GSN, Nov. 3).
This would be the allies first group on nuclear security. It is expected to be formalized Friday during a visit to Japan by President Obama.
Japan possesses the most sophisticated antiproliferation technology on earth, according to Kyodo News. Its involvement on the issue would strengthen efforts to prepare a worldwide nuclear security posture leading to the follow-up to the April nuclear security summit in Washington. That event is now set for 2012 in South Korea, sources said.
The working group would be assigned to identify and export operational means for preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear materials that could be used in weapons, Kyodo reported. It would also work to boost collaboration on nuclear forensics (see GSN, Aug. 10).
Working group participants would include high-level officials from the Japanese Science and Foreign ministries and the U.S. Homeland Security, Energy and State departments, along with other agencies (Kyodo News/Breitbart.com, Nov. 6).
http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20101108_9136.php
This would be the allies first group on nuclear security. It is expected to be formalized Friday during a visit to Japan by President Obama.
Japan possesses the most sophisticated antiproliferation technology on earth, according to Kyodo News. Its involvement on the issue would strengthen efforts to prepare a worldwide nuclear security posture leading to the follow-up to the April nuclear security summit in Washington. That event is now set for 2012 in South Korea, sources said.
The working group would be assigned to identify and export operational means for preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear materials that could be used in weapons, Kyodo reported. It would also work to boost collaboration on nuclear forensics (see GSN, Aug. 10).
Working group participants would include high-level officials from the Japanese Science and Foreign ministries and the U.S. Homeland Security, Energy and State departments, along with other agencies (Kyodo News/Breitbart.com, Nov. 6).
http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20101108_9136.php
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Consensus for step-change in nuclear security
Consensus for step-change in nuclear security
 |
| (Image: White House / Chuck Kennedy) |
Forty-seven states have committed to maximise security for nuclear materials, bring all relevant conventions into force and continue the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Nuclear threat detection gets more funding
The race to develop technological capability to detect any potential threat of nuclear terrorism received additional funding Tuesday amid industry warnings the dangers of unpredictable enemy acts remain present. Dynasil Corp. of America said it was pledged a $2 million additional U.S. Department of Homeland Security award to advance nuclear detection capabilities. Dynasil said the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is allocating the funds to its subsidiary, Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.
The money will go toward funding advancement of new high-performance nuclear threat detector materials that are potentially important additions to the United States' homeland security arsenal.
The company says its scintillator materials represent a leap forward in radiation detection performance that can have military, industrial and medical uses.
Dynasil's crystal scintillator, optically coupled with a photodetector, converts radiation to visible light to detect radiation and dangerous nuclear materials that could be used in a "dirty" bomb or a nuclear device.
Despite financial constraints of current economic conditions, both administration and industry leaders have put emphasis on detection of hostile nuclear materials. Additional programs have concentrated on detecting anthrax and other dangerous substances.
The crystal scintillator is highly sensitive and can differentiate between a broad range of threatening and non-threatening materials, thus reducing false negatives, said the company.
Recent research has focused on the risk of terrorists smuggling nuclear material into the United States to create a weapon of mass destruction. Dynasil described it as "one of the most serious threats faced by the United States."
In the meantime, government security measures have involved preventive measures to remove the possibility of terrorists "acquiring radioactive materials that would allow them to fabricate a nuclear weapon," Dynasil said.More at http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Nuclear_threat_detection_gets_more_funding_999.html
The money will go toward funding advancement of new high-performance nuclear threat detector materials that are potentially important additions to the United States' homeland security arsenal.
The company says its scintillator materials represent a leap forward in radiation detection performance that can have military, industrial and medical uses.
Dynasil's crystal scintillator, optically coupled with a photodetector, converts radiation to visible light to detect radiation and dangerous nuclear materials that could be used in a "dirty" bomb or a nuclear device.
Despite financial constraints of current economic conditions, both administration and industry leaders have put emphasis on detection of hostile nuclear materials. Additional programs have concentrated on detecting anthrax and other dangerous substances.
The crystal scintillator is highly sensitive and can differentiate between a broad range of threatening and non-threatening materials, thus reducing false negatives, said the company.
Recent research has focused on the risk of terrorists smuggling nuclear material into the United States to create a weapon of mass destruction. Dynasil described it as "one of the most serious threats faced by the United States."
In the meantime, government security measures have involved preventive measures to remove the possibility of terrorists "acquiring radioactive materials that would allow them to fabricate a nuclear weapon," Dynasil said.More at http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Nuclear_threat_detection_gets_more_funding_999.html
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tougher Nuclear Inspections Allowed in 102 Nations
The International Atomic Energy Agency is now authorized to conduct heightened nuclear oversight of 102 nations, the United Nations announced today (see GSN, Jan. 5, 2009).
The Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreements with Rwanda and Swaziland have entered into force.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog's 35-nation governing board established the Additional Protocol in 1997 to increase the "effectiveness and efficiency" of IAEA inspections, according to a U.N. press release. By joining the arrangement, signatory nations agree to grant the agency additional data on their atomic activities and to allow audits of their nuclear facilities with little notice.
The Additional Protocol is an “essential tool for the agency to be able to provide credible assurance, not only that declared nuclear material is not being diverted from peaceful uses, but also that there are no undeclared nuclear material and activities in states with comprehensive safeguards agreements," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement to his organization's General Conference.
The 18 nations outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty should promptly enter the pact, Amano added (U.N. release, Sept. 20).
The Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreements with Rwanda and Swaziland have entered into force.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog's 35-nation governing board established the Additional Protocol in 1997 to increase the "effectiveness and efficiency" of IAEA inspections, according to a U.N. press release. By joining the arrangement, signatory nations agree to grant the agency additional data on their atomic activities and to allow audits of their nuclear facilities with little notice.
The Additional Protocol is an “essential tool for the agency to be able to provide credible assurance, not only that declared nuclear material is not being diverted from peaceful uses, but also that there are no undeclared nuclear material and activities in states with comprehensive safeguards agreements," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement to his organization's General Conference.
The 18 nations outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty should promptly enter the pact, Amano added (U.N. release, Sept. 20).
Steven Chu: an international fuel bank can ensure peaceful use of nuclear energy US Energy Secretary Steven Chu discusses his proposals to encourage the peaceful use of nuclear power at this year's International Atomic Energy Agency gathering in Vienna.
Chu: Global fuel bank will foster nuclear cooperation
The International Atomic Energy Agency should consider creating a global "fuel bank" that would allow countries access to nuclear material for peaceful purposes, while safeguarding against proliferation, writes Energy Secretary Steven Chu. This proposal is in line with President Barack Obama's call for the formation of "a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation," Chu adds. The Christian Science Monitor (9/20)
The International Atomic Energy Agency should consider creating a global "fuel bank" that would allow countries access to nuclear material for peaceful purposes, while safeguarding against proliferation, writes Energy Secretary Steven Chu. This proposal is in line with President Barack Obama's call for the formation of "a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation," Chu adds. The Christian Science Monitor (9/20)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Senators Knock DHS Nuclear Detection Office for Wasting Money, Time By Martin Matishak
Image via Wikipedia
A truck pulls a shipping container through a portal radiation scanner at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 2007. A U.S. Homeland Security Department office squandered years and hundreds of millions of dollars developing ineffective technology for spotting potential illicit nuclear material in U.S.-bound cargo, ranking lawmakers on a Senate committee said yesterday (Joe Raedle/Getty Images). Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and ranking member Susan Collins (R-Maine) also chastised the department for failing to prepare a strategic plan to prevent the smuggling into the country of materials that could be used in a nuclear attack.
The plan, dubbed the global nuclear detection architecture, was first suggested by the Government Accountability Office in 2001. It is intended to close existing vulnerabilities and alert federal agencies to their roles in preventing terrorists from detonating a nuclear or radiological bomb within the United States.
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