Islamists seeking dirty bomb

From today's Australian:

Some, like perseng, would have us not worry, would say this is all overblown hyperbole, say that I.S. just want nuclear material purely for peaceful power generation purposes ..... just like Iran!

Fortunately, harder, and smarter, heads prevail. Whether I.S. can construct a destructive WMD - nobody knows.
Whether they would use one against a foreign target if they succeed is almost 100% certain.

Then we would see the Dogs of War unleashed against the middle east. One saw how the US reacted between 1941-45 to an attack on its soil. A nuclear attack of any kind against America would result in a response too horrible to imagine. You would expect the US public would insist on a nuclear response.

Anyone who does not understand that islamism is an existential threat to world security is kidding themselves.

Islamic State’s quest for dirty bomb: Julie Bishop

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Julie Bishop had already warned that Islamic State might be developing poison-gas weapons.Source: News Corp Australia
The Islamic State terror group is believed to have collected radioactive material from hospitals and research establishments in cities it has captured in Iraq and Syria, raising fears it could build a large “dirty” bomb, says Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Ms Bishop’s comments to The Australian came as terrorism specialists warned that Islamic State could carry out major attacks in Iraq and Syria during Ramadan, which begins on June 17, and that competition among terror groups could see al-Qa’ida carry out a massive attack to restore its standing. Possible targets of Islamic State attacks might include Baghdad International Airport or the Taji air base where Australian Army instructors train Iraqi forces, they said.
In a speech in Perth on Friday night, Ms Bishop warned that Islamic State might be developing poison-gas weapons. The Foreign Minister told The Australian last night her speech was based on reports from the Defence Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
NATO was deeply concerned about the theft of radioactive material, Ms Bishop said. “The insurgents did not just clear out the cash from local banks,” she said.
By capturing territory, Islamic State, which is also known as Da’ish, had gained access to materials normally held by governments. “That’s why stopping Da’ish gaining territory is so important,” she said.
Ms Bishop said the so-called Australia Group — a bloc of about 40 nations, plus the European Community, established 30 years ago to stop the spread and development of chemical, biological and radiological weapons — was concerned enough about the threat to dedicate a session to it at a forum in Perth last week. “This is really worrying them,” Ms Bishop said.
The Institute for the Study of War, an independent US think tank, has warned Islamic State is likely to be planning major attacks in Iraq and Syria during the Muslim holy period of Ramadan, which runs until July 17. That would also be an opportunity for Islamic State, formerly known as Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) and al-Sham and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), to mark the first anniversary of its capture of the city of Mosul on June 10 last year, when its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate.
“For the past three years, ISIS has conducted major offensive operations during the Ramadan holy month,” it said. “ISIS is therefore likely preparing a surge of operations to try to achieve important campaign objectives. ISIS can also be expected to commemorate its declaration of a caliphate on the first full day of Ramadan 2014 by trying to build upon or surpass its declaration of the caliphate last year. ISIS could do so by accomplishing new military objectives, striking religious targets, or announcing a new political milestone. Regardless, ISIS is likely to begin and end Ramadan with attempted spectacular military offensive actions in Iraq and Syria.”
It might also target Shia holy sites in the Iraqi centres of Karbala, Najaf and Samara.
At Ramadan, pilgrims from all over Iraq went to the shrines, making them vulnerable to infiltration, the institute said.
Islamic State was also likely to target Shia sites in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and possibly further abroad.
The institute said the terror group might target the cities of Samarra, Baghdad or Damascus, which were all capitals of previous caliphates.
Another report, by Tobias Feakin and Benedict Wilkinson of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, noted Islamic State had eclipsed its predecessor, al-Qa’ida, which would face a struggle for survival. As Islamic State was seen as increasingly brutal, barbaric and bloodthirsty, there was a sense that al-Qa’ida was now the “moderate” stream of Islamic terrorism, they said.
“While ISIL is arguably all of those things, al-Qa’ida’s resilience and its tendency to be just as brutal, barbaric and bloodthirsty as ISIL shouldn’t be forgotten,” they said.
Al-Qa’ida had a number of options for survival, but one was to carry out a massive attack to win back the limelight and restore its standing as a terror movement.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-...omb-julie-bishop/story-fnpdbcmu-1227388878980