Den britiske regjering frykter et angrep med masseødeleggelsesvåpen: sykehusene har fått utdelt jod-tabletter til halvparten av befolkningen, i tilfelle terrorister sprenger en dirty bomb.

Regjeringen har faktisk brukt nærmere 600 millioner kroner på tablettene, som skal blokkere opptak av radioaktiv jod i skjoldbruskkjertelen.

Tidligere har myndighetene bare oppbevart slike tabletter i nærheten av anlegg hvor radioaktiv lekkasje kan forekomme, som baser for atomubåter. Det har dreid seg om 200.000 mennesker.

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, 2_kommentarly 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.

Hvor mange tabletter har norske sykehus?

Government orders anti-radiation pills in response to terror threatBy David Bamber and Julie Henry
(Filed: 02/05/2004)