Terrorist attack - could this happen?

[Clippy]

Al Qaeda doesn't exist as GJ says. What we have are a bunch of disaffected Muslims who don't understand that their belief in Allah and the concomitant rejection of the scientific method are the reasons why their culture is so tulipe.
Twas not always thus.

Should build them a youth centre - couple of pool tables and a few slot machines will soon fill their time.

Well, works in the inner cities!

[Clippy]

A lot of what you are discussing re: Al Qaeda being an db and an idealogy, using it as an means to increase western military spending etc was covered pretty well in a BBC documentary called The Power of Nightmares.

Recommended viewing (probably find it on You Tube) to get an alternative view on the war on terror.

[Nicky G]

Islamic terrorists obtain nuclear warhead. Maybe old Soviet unit for some hard dollars from their friends with oil and money to burn.

Place into private jet or even old container ship.

Go to USA (fly in or sail up to Eastern port of USA) and detonate. A few martyrs and a lot of dead people on the ground.

Would make 9/11 look like kids stuff.

Is this a possibility?

This is a scenario that has been postulated by people such as Joseph Farah for some time now. In fact other analysts such as Paul Williams claim that Al Qaeda already has nuclear warheads. However, I believe the whole concept is disinformation for the following reasons:

1) In order to obtain “stolen” Russian warheads, we have to believe that such weapons were vulnerable to theft in the first place. This is because Russia is disintegrating (thus the excuse they used for obtaining billions in loans from the West).

2) All Russian warheads are protected by action codes known only the Russian president and the chief of the Russian General Staff. How therefore could these weapons be detonated without Russian assistance?

3) We have to believe that the same people who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 70’s and 80’s now want to destroy us.

4) We have to believe that they obtained these weapons from Chechen separatists, who must have forgotten to use some on Russia.

5) The motive for the attack is that America is hostile to Islam and has murdered millions of Muslims. But they must have forgotten about the millions of Moslems murdered by Russia and China in Central Asia and Afghanistan, Chechnya etc.

6) If they have such weapons, why have they not used them yet? Are they waiting for the go ahead from somebody?

[richard-af]

Also, given that the "Hey, what happens if some f---er nicks one of these?" question has probably been thought of by the Superpowers many moons ago, I imagine that most naughty beardies wouldn't be able to do anything much with one, anyway. And would probably be a bit wary of fiddling about with one, in case it initiated an airstrike on top of their heads, or simply blew up in their bearded faces.

[Old Greg]

This is a scenario that has been postulated by people such as Joseph Farah for some time now. In fact other analysts such as Paul Williams claim that Al Qaeda already has nuclear warheads. However, I believe the whole concept is disinformation for the following reasons:

1) In order to obtain “stolen” Russian warheads, we have to believe that such weapons were vulnerable to theft in the first place. This is because Russia is disintegrating (thus the excuse they used for obtaining billions in loans from the West).

2) All Russian warheads are protected by action codes known only the Russian president and the chief of the Russian General Staff. How therefore could these weapons be detonated without Russian assistance?

3) We have to believe that the same people who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 70’s and 80’s now want to destroy us.

4) We have to believe that they obtained these weapons from Chechen separatists, who must have forgotten to use some on Russia.

5) The motive for the attack is that America is hostile to Islam and has murdered millions of Muslims. But they must have forgotten about the millions of Moslems murdered by Russia and China in Central Asia and Afghanistan, Chechnya etc.

6) If they have such weapons, why have they not used them yet? Are they waiting for the go ahead from somebody?

Joseph Farah? Are you kidding us? Another right-wing Christian evangelical nut-job, founder of the loopy WorldNetDaily http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldNetDaily .

[Nicky G]

There's many people who claim Al Qaeda has nuclear warheads / is seeking them / is waiting for the right opportunity to use them. These range from the intelligence service of Pakistan, Al Qaeda informers, the CIA and the odd "Christian evangelical nut-job" who is simply repeating information from the aformentioned three sources among others.

The point of my post is that such devices cannot be acquired, let alone activated by a terrorist group, no matter how wealthy and organized. If such a device were to be detonated it would have to be with state backing.

But what state would that be and why?

[sasguru]

There's many people who claim Al Qaeda has nuclear warheads / is seeking them / is waiting for the right opportunity to use them. These range from the intelligence service of Pakistan, Al Qaeda informers, the CIA and the odd "Christian evangelical nut-job" who is simply repeating information from the aformentioned three sources among others.

The point of my post is that such devices cannot be acquired, let alone activated by a terrorist group, no matter how wealthy and organized. If such a device were to be detonated it would have to be with state backing.

But what state would that be and why?

Hmmm. Looks like you've taken your medication today. You're almost making sense.

[Old Greg]

Hmmm. Looks like you've taken your medication today. You're almost making sense.

No, no, no. He's saying that Russian will deliberately give the codes to terrorists who will blow up everyone.

[Nicky G]

I am saying that any such attacks will be state sponsored because the idea that a bunch of people fighting in caves with old AK-47's could bring the world's only superpower to its knees with a well coordinated attack involving suitcase nuclear weapons is outside the realm of plausibility.

[Ardesco]

Could it happen?

Yes

Will it ever happen?

Not very likely