On brink of radioactive 'catastrophe' in Chechnya

A poorly guarded chemical factory in Grozny, capital of Chechnya, has radioactive material which is a perfect ingredient for a "dirty bomb", a mixture of conventional explosives and radioactive matter. Unguarded since 1999 it seems like something the U.S. and others should be involved in getting secured. Chechen factory on brink of radioactive 'catastrophe' By Sam Knight and agencies Loosely guarded radioactive materials in a chemical factory in Grozny, the bombed out capital of Chechnya, are threatening to cause a "catastrophic radioactivity situation" according to Chechen officials. Radiation in the factory, which is owned by a state-run Chechen energy company, exceeds safety levels by 58,000 times, according to the Chechen prosecutor's office, which has opened a criminal investigation into conditions at the plant. The levels of radiation equate to around half those experienced at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the immediate aftermath of the 1986 disaster, Rossiya state television reported. "It’s a threat to the population because the leadership of the plant is taking no steps whatsoever to remove the radioactive material or isolate access to the plant," said Valery Kuznetsov, the Chechen prosecutor. ..................... Vladimir Slivyak of Ecodefense, an environmental group in Moscow, told the Associated Press it was likely that the elements in Grozny had been unsealed from their original devices and were now leaking. Mr Slivyak said the reported radiation levels were a serious threat to local residents. Exposure for more than a few minutes would cause serious health problems and even death. He added that poorly guarded radioactive material was a perfect ingredient for a "dirty bomb", a mixture of conventional explosives and radioactive matter. More at Times Online UK