Date: 11 May 1979

Location: La Hague, France

Type of event: use of radioactive material in intentional assault on an individual

Description:

An individual placed radioactive graphite fuel element plugs under the driver's seat of a car. The victim sustained a 25-30 rad dose to his spinal bone marrow and 400-500 rads to his testes. The perpetrator, who was trying to kill his employer, was tried and convicted of poisoning by radiation, fined $1,000, and served 9 months in prison.

Consequences: 1 injury (localized exposure)

References:

• Mohtadi, Hamid, and Antu Murshid, 7 July 2006, "A global chronology of incidents of chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear attacks: 1950-2005," on line, National Center for Food Protection and Defense [http://www.ncfpd.umn.edu/docs/GlobalChron.pdf].
• Mullen, Robert K., 1987, "Nuclear violence," in Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: The Report and Papers of the International Task Force on Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism, ed. by Paul Leventhal and Yonah Alexander, Lexington Books (Lexington, MA), pp. 231-247.

© 2004, 2007 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 16 September 2007.
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