A document “stealing” a radioactive source contains depleted uranium: A ggravation of the problems of Iraq

A document obtained by the links and Research and Strategic Studies Centre and dated on the ninth of November last year revealed that the Iraqi Commission for control of radioactive sources had informed the prime minister’s office and the National Security Council and  the National Iraqi Intelligence on a stealing of a radioactive source from the headquarters of one of their companies operating in the  oil field.

And for  the importance of this matter at the international level, the US State Department said it was aware of the disappearance of radioactive material from a facility stores in the city of Basra, in southern Iraq.

It also said that it had received information on the disappearance of radioactive material from a storage facility near the city of Basra, in southern Iraq. Among what was stated in the document of  a stolen radioactive source specifications and its shape   , which is as follows:

Because of the lack of clarity of  the form of the radioactive source in the document,  the links for Research and Strategic Studies Center viewed to deploy identical copy of it which are as follows:

This type of radioactive source is produced by American companies for

the purpose of selling it to US companies operating in the oil sector, and this is irradiation source are   Sentinel – model 880 Delta- Elite source projectors     . And they are  used   for industrial   applications  of gamma radiography , mainly with Iridium -192, to inspect materials and structures in the density range of approximately 2.17 g-cm3 through 8.53g- cm3. Low energy isotopes can be accommodated to permit radiography of materials and structures of thin sections of steel and low- density alloys.

The 880 series exposure devices are also designed for use   with loe activity  sources with high photon energies  for mass absorption (gamma scanning)  studies of high density materials up to 18.7 g-cm3 .

Exposure Device

Sentinel Model 880 source projectors are portable , lightweight and compact industrial radiographic exposure devices. The exposure device body consists of a titanium “s” tube and cast depleted Uranium  (DU)  shield contained within  a 300 series stainless steel tube with stainless steel discs welded at each end forming a cylinder shaped housing . The discs are recessed to provide protection for the rear mounted locking mechanism   and front mounted outlet port .

The horizontally oriented design allows  the locking mechanism , source assembly connector and outlet port to be easily operated, simplifying the connection of source guide tubes and projection sheaths

The void space of the housing  s  filled with rigid foam  to prevent the ingress of water  or foreign material, but  is open to atmospheric pressure .

The  exposure device body, containing the    DUshield, locking mechanism ,outlet port, protective covers and required labels, comprises   the radioactive material transport Type B package.

The Sentinel 880 series is available in 2 models :

• Delta 150 ci- the lightest 150 ci device currently available
• Elite 50 ci – idea for use ithlow –energy isotopes and lower activity Ir- 192 sources  .

Due to  the seriousness of this radioactive source , a number of security officials  in the United States, Britain and other countries have expressed their concern  that the use of radioactive source for the manufacture of a “dirty bomb.”  It combines conventional explosives and radioactive material to contaminate a certain area  with  radiation, which is different from a nuclear bomb, which was  depended on nuclear fission to create an explosion even deadlier.

On the other hand, this theft operation  reveals  the case of the aggravation   experienced by Iraq in the post-2003  noting that the Iraqi society and since then  is suffering  from  many of the political, economic, military and security problems,  and this   theft comes to add to their  problems a new problem and  this time is related to its  presence. There is no doubt that this theft reveals that   Iraq  post-2003,  according to the literature of political science , is  described  as  the “” failed state, noting that  it is very difficult   for this theft and  these security violations  to be taken place  in the country is witnessing  of the institutional and political  stability  and a  cohesion of the community. As for the  stealer  of  the radioactive source ,  may be  a neighboring country  or a terrorist organization as  the ISIS – Daash.”

The following is an illustrative video of the radioactive device :

Rawabet Research and Strategic Studies Center