Has Israel smuggled a nuclear weapon into New York City?

WASHINGTON -- Anti-terrorism officials conducted a helicopter survey of
New York City's radiation sources in preparation for a so-called "dirty
bomb" attack - and discovered a Staten Island park with dangerously high
levels of radium, a new report found.

Federal authorities found 80 unexpected "hot spots" around New York
City, according to the Government Accountability Office, the
investigative arm of Congress.

The GAO report released Thursday details a previously undisclosed aerial
anti-terrorism program in New York City, one which may be extended to
other cities worried about the possible release of radioactive material
by terrorists.

By creating a map of the city's radiation sources, city officials hope
to be able to respond more quickly in the event of a dirty bomb attack,
know exactly which streets are contaminated and get civilians away.

New York is the first and only U.S. city to conduct a complete aerial
radiological survey, having paid the U.S. Department of Energy $800,000
for the 2005 study.

The helicopters picked up sources of low-level radiation from expected
places, like granite statues and medical isotopes at hospitals, but it
also found dozens of other sources of unexpected radioactivity, the GAO
report found.

"NYPD officials indicated that the survey was tremendously valuable
because it identified more than 80 locations with radiological sources
that required further investigation to determine their risk," the report
said.

One alleged radiation hot spot on Manhattan's east side has the
potential for becoming a political hot spot: A strong radiation spike
from the area of the Israeli Embassy. Officials would not comment on why
they thought that particular area allegedly showed such a stunning peak
in radiation.

The aerial survey is designed to help local officials react more quickly
in the event of terrorists detonating a "dirty bomb" that releases
radioactive material into the air. With the survey, police may be able
to pinpoint the exact source of radiation by comparing new readings to
their pre-existing "radiation map" of the area.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the department wanted a record of the
city's naturally occurring and other "radiological signatures" to
compare with periodic readings it does to detect for dirty bombs or
other nuclear devices.

"It gives us a baseline so we can pick up any anomalies," he said.

New York City is the only major city to conduct a full-scale Aerial
Background Radiation Survey to identify "hot spots," though such work
has been done in the nation's capitol, according to the report.

The GAO found neither the Department of Energy nor the Department of
Homeland Security believe they are required to conduct such radiation
mapping, though the investigators said there were "significant benefits"
to surveys in other urban areas.