SEC460 Domestic Terrorism Report

Domestic Terrorism

Domestic Terrorism Report

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Domestic Terrorism Report

The Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant is located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas and is responsible for powering millions of homes. The plant is located in Somervell County and the closets town is Glen Rose. Forth Worth, Texas is 41 miles from the nuclear plant and almost two million people live within a fifty mile radius. While the Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant is essential to powering a large population it also could potentially pose a grave threat to the population if it were to come under the threat of a terrorist group. It is essential that the Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant is properly secured to prevent this potential threat.

While there are many risks associated with a nuclear power plant if it were to become vulnerable to terrorism the damage that would be caused would result in a major disaster and result in a large death toll. To date, the Comanche Nuclear Plant has been free of attacks (Osborne, 2013). There are many different types of attacks that can potentially be committed against a nuclear plant. These attacks include but are not limited to bombs, cyber attacks, biological weapon, plane attack, and sniper attack. Despite the fact that a nuclear power plant has not yet been attacked does not mean this not likely and in fact the F.B.I located plans to attack an American nuclear power plant located at an Al Qaeda compound in Afghanistan.

The plan involved taking over American airplanes and smashing them into nuclear power plants in order to create the largest death toll. The government is taking the threat seriously: in February 2002, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued an advisory to the nation’s 103 nuclear power plants that terrorists might try to fly hijacked planes into some of them (CFR, 2006). In response to this threat some governors have ordered the National Guard to guard the nuclear power plants in order to ensure they never become a threat to the state’s population.

The potential threats that have been identified by Homeland Security include first a massive release of radiation if a nuclear plant is hit by a trick or boat bomb. If a nuclear plant was hit by a boat or truck with explosives the result would be a major release of radiation into the air. The next identified threat by Homeland Security is the use of a plane as a targeted missile flown into a nuclear power plant. Next Homeland Security has identified potential sabotage from terrorist threats as a risk to American nuclear power plants and a ground assault. There is also a threat of dirty bombs by suicide bombers, the use of conventional explosive devises, and the use of nuclear waste.

Identified Risks

In an assessment of the Comanche Nuclear Power Plant the identified risks include bombs, cyber attacks, biological weapon, plane attack, and sniper attacks. The cyber attack has been identified as the largest risk. Cyber attacks involve external and internal threats to the nuclear plants information systems. Since a nuclear attack functions on technology and contains the same information and operational system that would be located at an organization the risk is great. Cyber attacks can come from employees that release private information or from internal threats determined to cause damage to the information systems of the nuclear plant.

The second identified risk to the Comanche Nuclear Plant is the sniper attack. Since terrorist could be positioned outside the plant and shoot employees as they come or go from work there will need to be effective security. In order to prevent the sniper attack there will need to be security placed at all entry points and all roof tops area will need to be secured. If the sniper does not have away to enter the plant they cannot shoot employees or people entering or exiting the plant.

Bombs would be a major threat to the nuclear plant and as identified by Homeland Security can come in many different forms. If a bomb was set off in a nuclear power plant the result will be fires and a nuclear meltdown. Unlike a building hit by a plane or a truck filled with explosives the plant will not blow but instead become vulnerable to leaks that can harm the population surrounding the plant. If a plane were to hit a nuclear plant the resulting explosion would cause mass damage. Not only would the employees of the plant be killed or maimed the radiation would be far reaching an effect a large human and animal population.

The last indentified risk that was identified was the biological attack. Biological attacks involve the use of toxic chemicals, pathogens, or harmful viruses that are released into the air with the goal of creating mass destruction. There is a long list of potential bio-agents that can be harmful transmittable agents that pass from person to person causing extensive damage. The agent released into the air can be contagious or noncontiguous but the goal is to release the bio-agent into the air and to affect many people.

The likelihood of a biological attack on the nuclear plant is slim. There are only around 1,000 employees at a nuclear plant so the damage would not be as extensive as releasing the agent into a crowded city. Biological attacks are designed to be placed in the air so it would spread and harm civilians but this has never occurred because it would take millions of pounds of a toxin to harm the human population. Biological attacks are more difficult to carry out because there is no way to evaluate the potential damage that would be caused. In order for a large attack to be conducted bio weapons will be needed in large quantities if the goal is mass destruction.

Countermeasures

In order to ensure the Comanche Nuclear Power Plant does not become vulnerable to threats the appropriate counter measures would need to be in place. Cyber attacks can come from internal or external threats and require a comprehensive security approach to preventing these threats. Information systems will need the usual cyber security such as antiviral software and encryption software and all information systems should be password protected. Access to passwords should be limited to key personnel to reduce the risk of accidental disclosures. Access to information system must be limited to prevent accidental disclosures or purposeful threats.

Sniper attacks can be easily prevented through effective security measures as well as bomb threats, such as trucks or boats filled with explosives. The Comanche Nuclear Power Plant backs up to the Squaw Creek Reservoir in order to ensure cooling waters are available if needed by the plant. This makes the plant vulnerable to terrorist driving a boat filled with explosives into the vicinity of the plant. The entrance of the plant would be vulnerable to a truck filled with explosives and will also require effective security measures. There is no way to stop planes from crashing into nuclear power plants so the military and TWA are responsible for preventing this type of attack.

The nuclear plant will need to have a comprehensive, physical security plan to ensure that any potential terrorist threats cannot enter the facility. This includes careful screening every employee and visitor at the plant. Security fences surround the plant and security offices patrol the outer and inner fences of the plant. No one enters the plant without first passing through a security checkpoint and all vehicles entering the plant are searched. The goal is to ensure that only authorized personnel enter the plan and no potential threats can be anywhere near the nuclear reactors.

Biological attacks are prevented through counter measures. Biological attacks are responded to with agents designed to reduce the harm caused but the threat or reverse the affects of a viral attack. Employees should be equipped with protective gear that could stop the threat of the bio-agent. Biological attacks at the Comanche Nuclear Power Plant would not be likely but in the event it is essential for security at the plant to identify any threats that may come through the mail or physical threats to the plant that could release a bio-chemical into the air.

Conclusion

The Comanche Nuclear Power Plant is essential to providing power to millions of customers in Texas but it is also at risk for being used by terrorists in order to commit a major terrorist attack. In order to ensure the Nuclear Plant does not be used to create major damage and major loss of life effective security countermeasures must be in place. The first step is to identify the risk and then develop a comprehensive plan to ensure security vulnerabilities are addressed. In order to prevent terrorist attacks the management at the nuclear plant will need to mitigate the risk of attack through effective countermeasures.

References

Council of Foreign Relations. (2006). Targets for Terrorism: Nuclear Facilities. Retrieved May

27, 2013 from http://www.cfr.org/homeland-security/targets-terrorism-nuclear-facilities/

Homeland Security. (2010). Biological Attack: What is it? Retrieved May 27, 2013 from

http://www.dhs.gov/biological-attack-what-it

Osborne, J. (2013). NRC shoots down Texas nuclear plant expansion. Retrieved May 27, 2013

from http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20130430-nrc-shoots-down-texas-nuclear