here’s the article in case of lack of a daily telegraph account.
Government orders anti-radiation pills in response to terror threat
By David Bamber and Julie Henry
(Filed: 02/05/2004)
The government has extended its supply of anti-radiation pills to cover 50 per cent of the population because of the increased risk of a terrorist attack.
The potassium iodate tablets, which are stockpiled at NHS hospitals across the country, protect the body from the effects of radioactive iodine emitted by nuclear weapons including so-called dirty bombs.
The pills work by flooding the thyroid gland with potassium iodate to prevent the absorption of radioactive iodine, one of the biggest threats after radiation exposure.
Britain had previously held stocks of these tablets to cover only about 200,000 people living near nuclear power stations or naval bases where there are nuclear submarines, and where an accident could occur.
It has emerged, however, that in September last year John Reid, the Health Secretary, was advised by the security service that terrorists were trying to obtain a nuclear device and it would be a sensible precaution to protect 30 million people.
Orders costing more than 50 million were placed with medical suppliers and the drugs were distributed to hospitals two months ago. The tablets have been distributed evenly, mainly in urban areas.
Security advice to the Government concluded that a bomb small enough to fit into a suitcase could cause widespread radioactive contamination. A very small device could contaminate an entire borough if particles were carried on the breeze. In the worst scenario, thousands could fall ill with radiation sickness and subsequent cancers – but even a relatively small incident would cause millions to panic and flee. The contamination could take years to clean up.
British and US intelligence services are convinced that there is a real and imminent threat. In 2002, Jose Padilla, a US citizen linked to al-Qa’eda, was arrested in Chicago on suspicion of plotting to set off a dirty bomb. Three others were arrested in Pakistan, where uranium is sold illegally.
In November 2001, an al-Qa’eda handbook which described how to make a dirty nuclear bomb with a small amount of radioactive material was found in an abandoned house in Kabul, Afghanistan.
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, took charge of civil defence after the September 11 attacks and supports the decision to increase the supply of anti-radiation pills.
The Government has also ordered 20 million doses of smallpox vaccine in case of a biological attack. A government official said: “Buying these tablets does not mean we expect a bomb containing nuclear material to be detonated immediately, but we are prepared.”
Security and medical supplies have been increased near nuclear bases. Last September 2,000 residents of Skye and Wester Ross Isles, in the were issued with anti-radiation pills to counter any hazards from nuclear submarines moored in their area. Extra tablets were also sent to residents near the Vulcan naval reactor test establishment, in Caithness, the Torness power station in East Lothian, and the Hinkley Point nuclear power station, Somerset.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “Stocks of potassium iodate tablets are held in the vicinity of all British nuclear reactors for immediate distribution in response to a nuclear accident involving the release of radioactive iodine.
“Further stocks of tablets are also held in case of overseas accidents or other incidents involving the release of radioactive iodine. For obvious reasons we do not wish to give details of stocks of tablets or their location.
“These measures represent part of our sensible contingency planning to prepare for possible threats. We recognise that since 9/11 the nature and scale of these threats has changed. However, there is no evidence of a specific threat of this kind to the UK.
“If a warning to the public is necessary to protect safety, we will issue it without hesitation. If the public need to take specific action, we will issue advice and information immediately.”
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