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US citizen detained in ‘dirty bomb’ plot
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| 12 June 2002 |
By Andy Oppenheimer
On 10 June, the threat of radiological weapons moved a step closer beyond mere speculation when the US Justice Department revealed that a US citizen with suspected ties to al-Qa'ida had been arrested by the FBI.
He had allegedly planned to build and explode a radiological dispersion device (RDD, often called a 'dirty bomb') in the United States.
Washington DC was the probable target of the plot. Robert Mueller, Director of the FBI, said the plot was in the 'discussion stage' when the suspect, Abdullah al Muhajir, was arrested on 8 May.
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