Nuclear Experts Go Undercover to Sniff for Dirty Bombs

Government nuclear experts have been working undercover since last month in major cities hunting for dirty bombs and other terrorist weapons.

According to the Associated Press' John Heilprin, Nuclear Incident Response Teams from the Energy Department were sent to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Washington after the orange alert was issued on Dec. 21. More teams were later sent to other cities, although officials declined to tell AP which cities now have teams in place.

The experts are using high-tech equipment hidden in briefcases and gold bags to hunt for weapons. The equipment is highly sensitive and recently uncovered even small, but worrisome levels of radiation in a Las Vegas building. Fortunately, the radiation turned out to be from a leftover capsule of radium used to treat cancer.

AP is also reporting that the Homeland Security Department has provided detection equipment for police in Chicago, Detroit, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. Agency spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told AP that they have not received specific intelligence pointing to a dirty bomb, but they are concerned that large crowds or celebrations in the major cities could serve as terrorist targets.

A so-called "dirty" bomb, unlike a nuclear weapon, would not ignite an atomic chain reaction and doesn't require highly enriched uranium or plutonium. Instead, the materials could be a lower-grade isotope, like those used in medicine or research, making these materials easier to obtain.

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