Nuclear Control Institute
1000 Connecticut Avenue N.W.
Suite 410
Washington DC 2003
mail@nci.org

202-822-8444

Committee to Bridge the Gap
1637 Butler Avenue
Suite 203
Los Angeles CA 90025
cbghirsch@aol.com

310-478-0829



Publications and Documents on
Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism

1984-2001

(Compiled by Sharon Tanzer, Vice-President and Steven
Dolley, Research Director, Nuclear Control Institue)


Books

Nuclear Power Plants As Weapons for the Enemy: An Unrecognized Military Peril, Bennett Ramberg, University of California Press, 1984.

Nuclear Terrorism: Defining the Threat, Paul Leventhal and Yonah Alexander, editors. Papers presented at the Conference on International Terrorism: The Nuclear Dimension, June 1985. Pergamon Brasseys. 1986. (See technical papers, below.)

Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: The Report and Papers of the International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism, Paul Leventhal and Yonah Alexander, editors. Lexington Books. 1987. (See Report and technical papers, below.)


Correspondence with NRC, Congress and Executive Branch

February 2, 1987: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal to the Commission, urging upgrade of security against radiological sabotage at nuclear power plants

March 13, 1987: Letter from NRC Chairman Lando W. Zech, concerning NRC activities to provide assurance that nuclear power plants are adequately protected.

October 17, 1987: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and NCI Scientific Director Milton Hoenig to Frank Carlucci, Assistant to the President, concerning the Iranian threat against U.S. nuclear reactors and need for protection against vehicle bombs.

November 9, 1987: Response from Carlucci stating that NCI's "thoughtful analysis" will be fully considered in ongoing review of security at government and commercial plants..

October 19, 1987: Letter to NRC chairman Lando Zech, Jr. concerning Iranian threat to U.S. nuclear reactors and need for protection against vehicle bombs.

December 7, 1987 response from Acting NRC chairman Frederick Bernthal

February 5, 1988: Letter to J. Bennett Johnston concerning vulnerability of domestic nuclear power reactors to vehicle-bomb attack.

May 25, 1995: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and Committee to Bridge the Gap President Daniel Hirsch to NRC Chairman Ivan Selin concerning Oklahoma City bombing and implications for protecting nuclear power plants.

November 6, 1995: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and Committee to Bridge the Gap President Daniel Hirsch to NRC Chairman Shirley Jackson concerning need to upgrade rule on protection of nuclear power plants against truck bombs. http://www.nci.org/l/l11695.htm

December 20, 1995: Reply from NRC Chair Shirley Jackson, stating that NRC staff has been in close contact with agencies involved in investigating the Oklahoma City bombing and that the NRC is confident that the design basis threat is adequate. http://www.nci.org/l/l122095a.htm

August 25, 1998: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and Committee to Bridge the Gap President Daniel Hirsch to NRC Chairman Shirley Jackson concerning adequacy of protection of nuclear power plants against truck bombs, following bombings of American targets in Kenya and Tanzania and U.S. retaliation in Sudan and Afghanistan. The letter calls for placing plants on maximum security and upgrading long-term security measures.

December 21, 1998: Response from NRC Executive Director for Operations William D. Travers, transmitting briefing document, Concerns About Protection Against Truck Bombs and NRCs Responses."

December 23, 1999: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and Committee to Bridge the Gap President Daniel Hirsch to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve regarding inadequate protection of nuclear power reactors against millenial terrorist attack. http://www.nci.org/c/c122399.htm

December 30, 1999: Response from NRC Chairman Richard Meserve pointing out that the NRC requires a high level of security at all times and continuously evaluates threat information.

August 23, 2000: Comments by Dr. Edwin Lyman, NCI Scientific Director, on the NRC's "Re-Evaluation of Power Reactor Physical Protection Regulations and Position on a Definition of Radiological Sabotage," as outlined in SECY-00-0063. http://www.nci.org/e/el-nrc82300.htm

December 21, 2000: Letter from NCI Scientific Director Edwin Lyman and NCI President Paul Leventhal to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve recommending that enforcement actions pursuant to 10 CFR 73.55(a) be required by the Commission if serious deficiencies in nuclear power plant physical protection systems are revealed during force-on-force exercises conducted under the current Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation (OSRE) program. http://www.nci.org/n/nrc122100.htm

February 8, 2001: Response from NRC Chairman Richard Meserve, reporting that the NRC will not send notice of violations to licensees that fail the OSRE security tests.

July 11, 2001: Letter from NCI Scientific Director Edwin Lyman and NCI President Paul Leventhal to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve regarding Commission's decision to exempt plants which volunteer to participate in the Safeguards Performance Assessment (SPA) pilot program from previously scheduled or anticipated Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation (OSRE) exercises, without regard to whether those plants have exhibited serious security weaknesses in recent site inspections. http://www.nci.org/01nci/07/10-weak_nrc_plan.htm

September 14, 2001: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and NCI Research Director Steven Dolley to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve proposing urgent security measures for nuclear power plants following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

September 21, 2001: Response from NRC Chairman Richard Meserve, stating the Commission is evaluating current requirements and statutory authority "including but not limited to the those that you presented in your letter."

September 17, 2001: Letter from NCI President Paul Leventhal and NCI Research Director Steven Dolley to Prime Minister Tony Blair, recommending that the Sellafield plutonium mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel Plant not be commissioned for operation in light of September 11 terrorist attacks.


Proceedings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

March 9, 1988: Petition for Rulemaking submitted by the Committee to Bridge the Gap, asking the NRC to amend its regulations in order to update the design basis threat for radiological sabotage.

January 11, 1991: Petition for Rulemaking submitted by the Nuclear Control Institute and the Committee to Bridge the Gap, asking the NRC to upgrade the design basis threat for radiological sabotage. Petitioners seek a revision of the threat assessment to include explosives-laden surface vehicles and a larger number of attackers using more sophisticated weapons than presently contemplated. Petitioners ask that the request be given urgent attention.

January 23, 1991: Response from Donnie H. Grimsley, NRC Office of Administration, reporting that the comment period will be shortened from 60 days to 30 days to comply with this request.

March 14, 1991: Letter to NRC from Eldon Greenberg, NCI counsel, rebutting contentions by nuclear industry trade organization that advance identification of potential threats is assured.

June 5, 1991: Petition for rulemaking is denied. NRC stated there has been no change in the domestic threat that would justify a change to the design basis threat. Despite a reduction in U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf conflict, the NRC pledged to maintain its vigilance.

September 4, 1991: Request for Action from NCI and Committee to Bridge the Gap to institute individual plant examination program to evaluate the margin of nuclear power reactors to withstand safeguards events beyond the current design basis.

December 31, 1991: Petition denied. The NRC pointed out that its regulations do not require licensees to design safety systems to be resistant to various acts of sabotage . . . Instead it requires licensees to establish and maintain an onsite physical protection system . designed to protect against the design basis threat. However, as a matter of prudence, the NRC requested licensees to prepare contingency measures in the event that the threat environment changes.


Testimony

March 9, 1988: House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Subcommittee on General Oversight and Investigations. Testimony by NCI President Paul Leventhal and by Committee to Bridge the Gap President Daniel Hirsch on the threat of sabotage and terrorism to commercial nuclear reactors in the United States.

March 19, 1993: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Regulation. Testimony by attorney Eldon Greenberg for Nuclear Control Institute and the Committee to Bridge the Gap, challenging the adequacy of nuclear power plant security to protect against terrorism and sabotage.

May 10, 1993: Considerations Related to Reassessment of the Design Basis Threat for Radiological Sabotage, by Steven Sholly, Senior Consultant, MHB Technical Associates, presented on behalf of Committee to Bridge the Gap and Nuclear Control Institute, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Public Meeting on the Design Basis Threat, Rockville, Maryland.

May 5, 1999: Testimony by NCI President Paul Leventhal before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the Recommendations of the NRC Safeguards Performance Assessment Task Force. http://www.nci.org/t/t5599.htm


Reports

Daniel Hirsch, Stephanie Murphy and Bennett Ramberg, "Nuclear Terrorism: A Growing Threat," a report to the NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, May 7, 1985: Adlai E. Stevenson Program on Nuclear Policy, University of California at Santa Cruz; Center for International and Strategic Affairs, University of California at Los Angeles.

"Report of International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism." Nuclear Control Institute and the Institute for Studies in International Terrorism, State University of New York, June 25, 1986.


Technical Papers prepared for the International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism

Albright, David, "Civilian Inventories of Plutonium and Highly Enriched Uranium."

Beres, Louis Rene, "Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: Responses to Terrorist Grievances."

Bunn, George, "International Arrangements against Nuclear Terrorism."

Despres, John, "Intelligence and the Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism."

DeVito, Donald A. and Lacy Suiter, "Emergency Management and the Nuclear Terrorism Threat."

Dixon, Herbert, "Physical Security of Nuclear Facilities."

Gates, Mahlon E., "The Nuclear Emergency Search Team."

Goldberg, Steven, "Civil Liberties and Nuclear Terrorism."

Greenberg, Eldon V.C. and Milton M. Hoenig, "The Front End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Options to Reduce the Risk of Terrorism and Proliferation."

Hirsch, Daniel, "The Truck Bomb and Insider Threats to Nuclear Facilities." http://www.nci.org/g-h/hirschtb.htm

Jacchia, Enrico, "European Nuclear Safeguards and terrorism: A Personal Perspective."

Julian, Thomas A., "Nuclear Weapons Security and Control."

Kellen, Konrad, "The Potential for Nuclear Terrorism: A Discussion."

Mark, J. Carson and Theodore Taylor, Eugene Eyster, William Maraman, and Jacob Wechsler, "Can Terrorists Build Nuclear Weapons?" http://www.nci.org/k-m/makeab.htm

Mastrangelo, Eugene, "Terrorist Activities by Region."

Moglewer, Sidney, "International Safeguards and Nuclear Terrorism."

Mullen, Robert K., "Nuclear Violence."

Neeman, Yuval, "Mobilizing Intelligence against Nuclear Terrorism: A Personal Perspective."

Nunn, Sam and John W. Warner, "U.S.-Soviet Cooperation in Countering Nuclear Terrorism: The Role of Risk Reduction Centers.

Pollack, Gerald A., "Severe Accidents and Terrorist Threats at Nuclear Reactors."

Post, Jerrold M., "Prospects for Nuclear Terrorism: Psychological Motivations and Constraints."

Rossnagel, Alexander, "Physical Protection of Special Nuclear Materials in the Federal Republic of Germany."

Spector, Leonard S., "Clandestine Nuclear Trade and the Threat of Nuclear Terrorism."

Sterling, Claire. "Responses to Terrorist Grievances: Another Perspective."

Wolfe, Bertram and Burton F. Judson, "The Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: An Update."


Other Technical Papers

"The Insider Threat to NRC-Licensed Facilities," by Matthew Levy, September 1986.

"Outside Threats to NRC-Licensed Facilities," by Matthew Levy. September 1986.

"Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Terrorism and National Security," Milton M. Hoenig, April 1987.

"Bunkered and Tamper-Proof Reactor Systems," Milton M. Hoenig, April 1987.

"Locking Nuclear Weapons," Milton M. Hoenig, April 1987.

"Guarding Nuclear Weapons," Milton M. Hoenig, April 1987.

"Tampering in Nuclear Power Plant Control Rooms: Human Factors Issues," by Dr. John W. Senders, May 1988.

"Transportation of Plutonium into and within Japan," by Alan Kuperman, April 1989.

Are IAEA Safeguards on Plutonium Bulk-Handling Facilities Effective?, by Marvin Miller, August 1990. http://www.nci.org/k-m/mmsgrds.htm

Evaluating the Margin of Nuclear Power Reactors to withstand safeguards events beyond the current design basis, May 17, 1991.

Safeguards Shortcomings: A Critique, by Paul Leventhal, NCI President, September 12, 1994. http://www.nci.org/p/plsgrds.htm

Highly-Enriched Uranium Seized in Czech Republic Reveals a Growing Risk of Nuclear Terrorism, Steven Dolley, NCI Research Director, and Paul Leventhal, NCI President, December 22, 1994. http://www.nci.org/g-h/heuib1.htm

A Critique of Physical Protection Standards for Transport of Irradiated Materials, Dr. Edwin Lyman, NCI Scientific Director, Presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, Phoenix, AZ, July 1999. http://www.nci.org/e/el-inmm99.htm

Radiological Sabotage at Nuclear Power Plants: A Moving Target Set, by Dr. Edwin Lyman, NCI Scientific Director and Paul Leventhal, NCI President, Presented to the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management, July 2000. http://www.nci.org/e/el-inmm2000.htm

The Threat of Radiological Sabotage: A Potential Show-Stopper, by Dr. Edwin Lyman, NCI Scientific Director, Excerpt from an Address to NCI Conference, Nuclear Power and the Spread of Nuclear Weapons: Can We Have One Without the Other?, April 9, 2001. http://www.nci.org/e/el4901.htm Full paper: Can the Proliferation Risks of Nuclear Power Be Made Acceptable? http://www.nci.org/conf/lyman/index.htm


Outreach Papers of the Nuclear Terrorism Prevention Project

"Nuclear Installations and Potential Risks. The Hidden Danger: Risks of Nuclear Terrorism," by Paul Leventhal and Milton Hoenig. Terrorism, vol. 10, 1987. Presented at the Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe. Paris. January 1987.

"Possible Approaches by NATO to Recommendations of International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism," by Thomas Julian, April 1987.

"International Aspects of Nuclear Terrorism: Some Options for Intergovernmental Action," by Ben Sanders, May 1987.

"Nuclear Terrorism: Issues for Legislative Remedy," September 1987.

"The Hidden Danger: Risks of Nuclear Terrorism," by Paul Leventhal. Presented at the Amici della Terra International Conference on Nuclear Power and War, Rome. October 1987.

"International Nuclear Terrorism: Implications for Latin America," by Dr. John Redick, presented before the Argentine Council for International Relations, Buenos Aires, May 1988.

"Nuclear Terrorism: A Latin American Perspective," by Ambassador Julio Cesar Carasales, presented before the Argentine Council for International Relations, Buenos Aires, May 1988.

"Plutonium, Terrorism and the Federal Republic of Germany." Testimony of Paul Leventhal before the 2nd Committee of Investigation of the German Bundestag, Bonn, June 23, 1988.

"Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Terrorism: Implications for Israel," by Paul Leventhal, presented to the Israel Atomic Energy Commission and to the Tel Aviv University Conference on Terrorism, August 1988.

"Nuclear No Man's Land." Testimony by Paul Leventhal before the 2nd Committee of Investigation of the German Bundestag, Bonn, September 22, 1988.

"Nuclear Terrorism: Threat, Perception, and Response in South Asia," by Paul Leventhal and Brahma Chellaney, Terrorism, Volume 11, 1988. Presented to the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, October, 1988. http://www.nci.org/p/pl-bc.htm

"Nuclear Terrorism: Reactor Sabotage and Weapons Proliferation Risks," by Paul Leventhal and Milton Hoenig, Contemporary Policy Issues, July 1990. A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Western Economic Association International, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, June 22, 1989.


Articles

"International Terrorism: The Nuclear Dimension," rapporteur's summary by Dr. Robert L. Beckman of June 1985 conference. Terrorism. Volume 8, Number 4, 1986, pp. 351-378.

Nuclear Plants Military Hostages?" by Bennett Ramberg, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March 1986.

"Protecting Reactors from Terrorists" by Daniel Hirsch, Stephanie Murphy and Bennett Ramberg, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March 1986.

"Report on Nuclear Terrorism," Excerpts from report of International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, December 1986, pp. 38-44.

"The Hidden Danger: Risks of Nuclear Terrorism," by Paul Leventhal and Milton Hoenig. Terrorism, Volume 10, pp. 1-22. 1987. Crane, Russak & Company.

"Spectre of nuclear blackmail," by Paul Leventhal and Brahma Chellaney, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 13, 1989.

"The Nuclear Power/Nuclear Weapons Connection," by Paul Leventhal, Social Education, March, 1990.

"SDI is No Answer to Nuclear Terrorism," by Deborah Holland and Daniel Horner, The Washington Post, March 28, 1990, op-ed page.

"Prospects for Diversion of Plutonium from Japanese Facilities," by Helen M. Hunt, April 1990. Published in Proceedings of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management, Summer 1990.

"Plutonium Terror on the High Seas?, by Admirals Thomas Davies and Stansfield Turner, The New York Times, April 28, 1990, Op-ed page; reprinted in the Asahi Shimbun, June 15, 1990.

More Nuclear Power Means More Risk, by Paul Leventhal, NCI President, New York Times, May 17, 2001, op-ed page. http://www.nci.org/new/oped.htm


Papers prepared for the Conference on International Terrorism---The Nuclear Dimension:

Davies, Rear Admiral Thomas D., USN (Ret.), "What Nuclear Means and Targets Might Terrorists Find Attractive?"

Denton, Senator Jeremiah, "International Terrorism: the Nuclear Dimension."

Gephardt, Representative Richard, "The New Nightmare: Nuclear Terrorism."

Giuffrida, Louis 0., "How Can Government and Industry Effectively Respond to Threats of Nuclear Terrorism."

Jenkins, Brian M., "Is Nuclear Terrorism Plausible?"

O'Keefe, Bernard, "How Can Nuclear Violence Be Prevented?"


Legislation

The following anti-terrorism legislation was attributable to studies and proposals by the Nuclear Control Institute:

Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Anti-Terrorism Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-399) required interagency determination of the terrorist threat prior to shipments of U.S.-origin fissile materials to nuclear programs abroad. Five Federal agencies were also required to prepare independent reports on the adequacy of physical protection of plutonium and highly enriched uranium during transport and storage in civil programs outside the United States.


Other Articles and Documents of Interest

November 3, 1998: U.S. Drops Anti-Terrorist Tests at Nuclear Plants, by Frank Clifford, Los Angeles Times. http://www.nci.org/a/a11398.htm

November 3, 1998: Anti-Terror Program for Nuclear Plants Axed, USA Today. http://www.nci.org/a/a11398a.htm

November 11, 1998: U.S. Lawmaker Fears Risk of Nuclear Plant Attacks, by Patrick Connole, Reuters Wire Service. http://www.nci.org/a/a111198.htm

September 14, 2001: Power Points: Airplane Attack Exposes Nuclear Plant Myth by Mark Golden, Dow Jones Newswires http://www.nci.org/01/09/14-16.htm

September 17, 2001: A Nuclear Nightmare by Douglas Pasternak U.S. News & World Report http://www.nci.org/01/09/09-3.htm

August 7, 1998: Memorandum to Samuel J. Collins, Director, NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, from David N. Orrik, Capt USN (Ret), Security Specialist

Subject: Differing Professional View Regarding NRC Abandoning Its Only Counter-

Terrorism Program.

May 5, 1999: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Transcript of Public Meeting, Briefing on Safeguards Performance Assessment. Includes Testimony by Paul Leventhal, NCI President, and Eldon V.C. Greenberg, NCI Counsel. http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/COMMISSION/TRANSCRIPTS/19990505a.html

July 5, 2001: Memorandum from William Travers, Executive Director for Operations, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Regarding Staff Requirements SECY-01-0060 The Safeguards Performance Assessment Pilot Program. http://www.nci.org/new/nrc7501.htm


Press Releases

August 1, 1994: Experts Praise NRC Truck-Bomb Rule But Decry Delays and Shortcomings. Press Release, NCI & Committee to Bridge the Gap. http://www.nci.org/pr/pr8194.htm

December 23, 1999: Watchdog Groups Reveal NRCs Misguided Millenial Message to Reactor Operators: Dont Upgrade Defenses Against Terrorists. Press Release, NCI & Committee to Bridge the Gap. http://www.nci.org/pr/pr122399.htm

July 11, 2001: NCI Objects to Weak NRC Plan for Testing Power Plant Defenses Against Terrorists. Press Statement Accompanying Release of Letter from NCI Scientific Director Edwin Lyman and NCI President Paul Leventhal Hirsch to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve regarding Commission's decision to exempt plants which volunteer to participate in the Safeguards Performance Assessment (SPA) pilot program from previously scheduled or anticipated Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation (OSRE) exercises, without regard to whether those plants have exhibited serious security weaknesses in recent site inspections. http://www.nci.org/01nci/07/10-weak_nrc_plan.htm