Russian Bombs in the U.S.?

August 20, 1998 A defector from an elite military intelligence unit of the former Soviet Union told Congress earlier this month that it is possible that Russia has smuggled nuclear suitcase bombs into the United States. The defector is a former Soviet colonel from the Russian Intelligence Agency who is diagnosed with cancer. He has less reason to fear retribution since he will soon die, so he testified under the witness protection program.

He worked as a spy inside the United States under cover of a Tass newspaper correspondent and had the responsibility to identify possible places in the Washington area for placement of tactical nuclear bombs.

Representative Curt Weldon, who presided over the hearing, called for the administration to do more to ensure that U.S. is prepared for this threat from Russia. He specifically called for the funding of a Wide Area Tracking System (called WATS) which can detect smuggled nuclear devices.

The former Soviet Union developed portable nuclear tactical devices for its special operations forces. The devices are small enough to fit in a suitcase, but they would be very heavy. These could be smuggled in using the same methods that drug runners use.

The defector also said that the U.S. is underestimating the threat Russia poses today. Many in their leadership still consider the U.S. an enemy, and Russia is still seeking to learn U.S. military secrets.

Are suitcase bombs a threat? No one know for sure. That is why the U.S. intelligence community better investigate these allegations quickly. And that is why Congress and the President should consider deploying a WATS system to make America safe.

I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.