Should building owners and operators be concerned about the threat from radioactive materials?
As noted above, the Center for Biosecurity focuses its efforts on reducing the threat posed by biological weapons, which, in our view, are the only weapons capable of presenting a strategic threat to the U.S. on par with nuclear weapons. That said, the threat from radioactive materials should not be overlooked. There are groups, such as al-Qa’ida, that are committed to attacking the U.S. and are also pursuing nuclear/radiological weapons capabilities.2 According to the July 2007 U.S. National Intelligence Estimate regarding the terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland, al-Qa’ida “would not hesitate” to use “radiological or nuclear material in attacks . . . if it develops what it deems is sufficient capability.
