Visit our website at www.afp.gov.au for all the latest information on the Australian
Federal Police
23 September 2008
Media Release
AFP puts nuclear forensics in the spotlight
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) will play a significant role in the Australasian
Radiation Protection Society’s (ARPS) annual conference being held in Canberra
this week.
For the first time in society’s 33 year conference history, the AFP’s Chemical,
Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Data Centre (CBRNDC) has been
instrumental in having a nuclear forensics session tomorrow (24 September)
as part of the four-day program.
The AFP’s Dr George Koperski said nuclear forensics has become increasingly
important amid world concern about the proliferation of nuclear weapons and
weapons of mass destruction.
“As a scientific discipline, nuclear forensics can assist law enforcement agencies
around the world in the fight against the illicit trafficking of chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear materials which may be used by terrorists in ‘dirty
bombs’ or for other criminal purposes,” he said.
Dr Koperski, a radiological expert at the CBRNDC, said nuclear forensics is able
to identify a characteristic ‘signature’ of radioactive material linking it to its
source.
“A miniscule quantity of oxygen in any given material can be linked back to its
place of origin and a tiny trace of yellowcake can be linked back to the mine
from which the ore originally came providing the combination of chemicals in
the material can be matched to a ‘signature’ in the database.”
He said nuclear forensic analysis aimed to provide law enforcement agencies
with legally admissible evidence that could result in the prosecution of offenders
involved with trafficking illicit radioactive materials.
“Fortunately there have been no reported cases of the malicious use of
radioactive material in Australia, but there have been a number of
investigations overseas. This is includes a case of a highly enriched uranium
sample seized in Bulgaria in 1999, and the analysis of radioactive material
found during a raid of a clandestine drug lab in the USA,” he said.
The AFP has sponsored two keynote conference speakers; David K Smith, a
senior Nuclear Forensics Advisor from the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory (LLNL) in the USA, and Dr Peter Gies, from the Australian Radiation
Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). Dr Gies will give the keynote
presentation on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.
Visit our website at www.afp.gov.au for all the latest information on the Australian
Federal Police
About the AFP Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
Data Centre (CBRNDC)
The CBRNDC was established on 2 July 2007 and is part of the AFP’s Forensic
and Data Centres group.
The CBRNDC is responsible for collating technical information and intelligence
relating to the criminal use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
material.
CBRNDC’s mission is to enhance Australia’s capability to prevent, prepare and
respond to malicious use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
agents. It does this by providing technical intelligence products and services in
order to support law enforcement and national security objectives.
The CBRNDC has strategic relationships with authorities in the United Kingdom,
the United States, Canada and New Zealand.
About the AFP Forensic and Data Centres (Formerly Forensic and
Technical) group
Since 1989, the group has grown from modest beginnings to a multi-site,
multi-discipline group under the guidance of National Manager Forensic and
Data Centres, Dr James Robertson.
AFP Forensic and Data Centres includes forensic operations, the Australian
Bomb Data Centre (ABDC), the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
Data Centre (CBRNDC) and Forensic Drug Support, soon to become Australian
Illicit Drug Data Centre (AIDDC).
With approximately 260 staff, the F&DC group covers almost all aspects of
forensic science and technical information. It has a strong research and
development interest and has formed strategic partnerships in Australia and
overseas.
Media enquiries
AFP National Media Team
Phone: (02) 6275 7100
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