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Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:24 pm Post subject: NK Radioactive Material Detected - Preliminary Analysis |
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U.S. intelligence statement: N. Korea radioactivity detected
POSTED: 10:50 p.m. EDT, October 13, 2006
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A preliminary analysis of air samples from North Korea shows "radioactive debris consistent with a North Korea nuclear test," according to a statement from the office of the top U.S. intelligence official. The statement, from the office of Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, was sent to Capitol Hill but not released publicly. CNN obtained it from a congressional source.
If confirmed, the nuclear weapons test that North Korea claimed it conducted on Monday would be the first of its kind since Pakistan's underground blast in 1998. Pyongyang's claim has renewed fears of a regional arms race and that North Korea might aid terrorists with nuclear materials or technology.
The national intelligence office statement said the air samples were collected Wednesday, and analysis found debris that would be consistent with a nuclear test "in the vicinity of Punggye" on Monday. "Additional analysis is ongoing and will be completed in a few days," the statement said. The South Korean Defense Ministry told CNN that the United States has informed it that radioactivity has been detected.
The report is in contrast to information provided to CNN earlier Friday from two U.S. government officials with access to classified information. Those officials said that an initial air sampling over North Korea showed no indication of radioactive debris. The White House said it had no confirmation that the North Koreans conducted a nuclear test.
"We've seen the various press reports," said National Security Council spokesman Fred Jones. "We still have no definitive statement on the event. The intelligence community continues to analyze the data."
The U.S. Air Force flew a WC-135 Constant Phoenix atmospheric collection aircraft on Tuesday to collect air samples from the region. The intelligence community and the military will also continue to collect air samples in the region and use satellite information to try to collect radiological data that would confirm a nuclear test, officials said. But as time goes on, it will be increasingly difficult to achieve confirmation.
Officials emphasized earlier Friday that the data collected are preliminary and provide no conclusive evidence about the North Korean event. It is possible there was no radiological data. That could be the case if: the North Koreans successfully sealed the site; it was such a small detonation and so deep underground there was no escape of nuclear debris; or the test was actually conventional explosives.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/13/nkorea.test.sample/index.html |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Does this mean the test fizzled? |
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Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| At this point it only strongly suggests the test wasn't faked with conventional explosives, IMHO. |
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cwemory
Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Location: Gunpo, Korea
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| Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:06 am Post subject: |
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US confirms N Korea nuclear test
BBC News
Air samples from North Korea confirm that a nuclear explosion was carried out a week ago, US intelligence officials say.
Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte said the findings came after analysis of radioactive debris detected at the site of the test.
This the first official US confirmation that a nuclear detonation took place.
The UN Security Council has unanimously voted to impose sanctions against Pyongyang in response to the test.
A US military aircraft collected air samples on 11 October, two days after Pyongyang made its announcement of a successful test.
The apparently small size of the explosion had led to doubts over the veracity of North Korea's claim.
But the short statement from Mr Negroponte's office confirmed that a nuclear explosion with a yield of "less than a kiloton" took place.
This is less than a tenth of the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
Russia had previously been the only country to confirm the test, saying within only a few hours of North Korea's announcement that it was "100% certain" a nuclear test had been carried out. |
Thes rest here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6056370.stm |
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