Al-Qaida Pirates Raid Ships Carrying
Radioactive Material

July 24, 2002

AL-QAEDA terror bosses are behind pirate raids on ships carrying radioactive material through the Malacca Straits in a bid to obtain ingredients for a ``dirty bomb'', it was reported yesterday.
The group is among several who have tried to steal substances like uranium and plutonium oxide by attacking ships in the straits between Indonesia and Malaysia, the Bangkok Post newspaper claimed.

Dirty bombs are made of conventional explosives wrapped in radioactive material.

An International Maritime Bureau source said there were 649 attacks in the straits in 2001.

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