[Andy from Beaverton]

Bin Laden has been amassing a nuclear arsenal since 1992. His purchases have included at least 20 suitcase bombs from Chechen rebels, 48 suitcase nukes from the Russian Mafia, more than 20 kilos of uranium-236, several bars of enriched uranium, and 20 nuclear warheads. He's worked with scientists and technicians to create hard-to-detect suitcase and backpack bombs. These purchases have been supported by bin Laden's massive global opium enterprise.

What a load of crap! So why haven't the Chechens used them???

[spetznaz]

The Chechens actually did something close. In 1995 or 1996 they put a radiological device (in this case Caesium-137 wrapped in dynamite) in Moscow's Izmailovo park. They then contacted the media and told them where the device was, and it was defused by authorities.

The thing about that, I think, is because the Chechens probably thought that had the thing gone off it would have given the Russians a go ahead to use tactical nukes on Chechnya. On top of that the device still had its impact even if it did not go off, since by telling the media where it was it meant that everyone knew. Thus they would be getting the psychological impact they wanted, and at the same time not giving the Russians an excuse to irradiate Chechnya.

Anyways, with that said the whole 'Al Queda's nukes' thing doesn't make sense. For one a radiological device is far different from nukes, and the article talks of Al Queda having a total of 68 suitcase nukes, a flurry of radioactive material, and 20 nuclear warheads. That seems more like a fantasy. Although I think there are some who would want bin Laden to have such weapons so that they could write about it.

I'd say this guy is trying to sell his book.