ABSTRACT
Islamic extremists had given plenty of warning that they meant to kill Americans indiscriminately and in large numbers. Although Osama bin Laden himself would not emerge as a major terrorist figure until the mid- to late-1990s, the threat of Islamist terrorism grew over the decade. Developments of the past few years have heightened fear of the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) terrorist threat to national and international security. In fact, warnings about terrorists’ use of WMD are not new. The same concerns have been voiced since the end of the 1970s. Radioactive material suitable for use in a radiological dispersion device may be found, stolen or purchased legally. Given the relatively weak laws and regulations surrounding the storage, sale and shipment of radiological material, a determined and well-financed group could obtain even quite large sources.
