Nuclear terrorismISIS planning to use drones for radioactive attacks on Western cities

Drone being operated by soldiers // Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Prime Minister David Cameron warned that ISIS terrorists are planning to use drones to spray nuclear material over Western cities in a lethal “dirty bomb” attack.

Security experts are worried about jihadists buying simple drones, which are widely available, and use them to carry radioactive material into the centers of large cities in attacks which would kill thousands and contaminate large sections of cities, making entire areas uninhabitable for years.

Cameron warned that the dangers of ISIS getting hold of nuclear material was “only too real.”

The Mirror reports that Cameron on Friday met in Washington, D.C. with world leaders to plan how to prevent – and, if need be, react to – such an attack.

The threat is considered serious, and the world leaders, meeting for the fourth Nuclear Security Summit, were asked to take part in war games to plan how they would respond. Such war games are typically attended by technical and military staff, not political leaders.

The Mirror notes that one scenario, highlighted the danger in remarkable detail. It envisioned radioactive material being taken from a medical facility by “insiders” who then sold it to extremists through the Internet’s secretive “dark web.”

Cameron outlined how cabinet ministers would hold an emergency meeting of COBRA [Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms, the acronyms used for high-level cabinet meetings on security issues] and order the deployment of counterterrorism police and the U.K. Border Force. A British official said: “We have already seen Daesh [ISIS] trying to look at whether they can they get their hands on low-level crop-using-type drones.”

ISIS came into possession of about 90 pounds of low grade uranium from Mosul University after taking over the city in 2014. 

There are also fears in Europe about insider risks to nuclear facilities. Belgium has recently revoked the security clearance of eleven employees in the country’s two nuclear plants.

Cameron told journalists in Washington, D.C. that concerns over a radioactive attack were real.

“So many summits are about dealing with things that have already gone wrong,” he said. “This is a summit about something we are trying to prevent.

“The issue of nuclear security and the security of nuclear materials, particularly when it comes to the problems of international terrorism, the concept of terrorists and nuclear materials coming together — which is obviously a very chilling prospect. And something in the light of the Belgian attacks, we know is a threat that is only too real.

“That’s the point of being here and that action Britain has taken with America, very much giving a lead on nuclear security, and the security of nuclear sites, transport and materials.”

American sources told reporters who covered the summit that U.S. Special Forces have been trained to seize and disable nuclear and dirty bombs.

Cameron announced that Britain would deploy 1,000 more armed police and counterterrorism units to cities outside London to help counter any terrorist attack.

Michael Fallon, the defense Secretary, yesterday announced that more than £40 million will be spent on a new Cyber Security Operations Center. The facility will be dedicated to using “state-of-the-art defensive cyber capabilities” to protect Britain from “malicious actors,” Fallon said.

Fallon added: “Britain is a world leader in cyber security but with growing threats this new Operations Center will ensure that our Armed Forces continue to operate securely.”