Elderly nun convicted in US nuclear site break-in

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

9 May 2013 Last updated at 00:42 GMT

Elderly nun convicted in US nuclear site break-in

An elderly Catholic nun and two peace activists have been convicted for damage they caused while breaking into a US nuclear defence site.

Sister Megan Rice, 83, Michael Walli, 64, and Greg Boertje-Obed, 56, admitted to cutting fences and entering the Y-12 site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which processes and stores uranium.

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Sister Megan said she regretted only having waited 70 years to take action.

A jury deliberated for two and a half hours before handing down its verdict. The three face up to 20 years in prison following their conviction for sabotaging the plant, which was first constructed during the Manhattan Project that developed the first nuclear bomb.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22459437

[freshwest]

1. I hope there will be some mitigation on this. It's not like stole a bomb, or something.

[H2O Man]

2. Recommended.

In the spirit of Daniel & Phillip.

[Gravitycollapse]

3. It needs to be clarified that the site they defaced processes weaponized uranium.

It does not generate power.

It makes material for nuclear weapons.

[mick063]

4. Really?

Process Uranium to make nuclear weapons?

You mean the kind that we bombed Hiroshima with? Those yield about 16 kilotons. We make weapons from other fissionable materials that can yield up to 150 megatons.

Just to be clear....let me write out the numbers so you can see the difference.

---------16,000----- tons of TNT.
---150,000,000-----tons of TNT.

Puts in to perspective how horrific these bombs have become since 1944 as well as shows you where Iran, North Korea are with respect to their programs. Hence the moratorium for underground testing because of enormous atmospheric fallout.


Folks really believe we are still processing Uranium to make weapons? Perhaps they still make tactical nukes. I wouldn't know. Seems to me, they have been destroying them by the thousands for decades.

[Gravitycollapse]

5. I dont need you to teach me nuclear physics.

I likely know significantly more about the subject than you.

Y12 processes and maintains material for the US nuclear stockpile.

Oh, and for your information, uranium is commonly used in fission-fusion devices. If you actually knew what you were talking about, you'd likely understand that total yield is no longer of primary importance. A weapon's capacity to target strategic sites is more important.

[Downtown Hound]

6. Have to say it even though I know we all already know:

We throw 70 year old nuns in prison, and let the bankers and war criminals get multi-billion dollar bonuses and bailouts.

Gawd bless America.

[snagglepuss]

7. 83 not 70. That siad you are bang on.