CBRN: Background
Accorfding to intelligence data terrorist groups have in their disposal a wide variety of substances and delivery methods to launch chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) attack. The use of CBRN may cause severe mass casualties of civil population. The most probable attack scenario is a small scale attack, using simple delivery methods and commercially available off-the-shelf industrial chemicals, toxins, or radiological substances. The severity of the terrorist attack and the number of casualties would depend on the following factors:
- substances used
- delivery method
- specific area conditions
- type and power of dispersal device
- level of population prparadeness
- level of first reponders preparadness
The plausible scenarios include:
- poison attack with chemicals and toxins
- radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) or "dirty bombs"
- crude nuclear bomb
- device spraying biological agents
- mustard agent, sarin, or VX