Two information storage facilities were lost in the laboratory where the production of nuclear weapons began in the USA
Kenneth Chang, New York Times, Haaretz, Walla!
Los Alamos Laboratories - a view from the inside
Direct link to this page: https://www.hayadan.org.il/losalamos190704.html
As a result of a crisis at the Los Alamos National Laboratory - since the disappearance of two computerized information storage facilities that include classified information - yesterday evening the director of the laboratory stopped all research operations, and said that all employees must refresh safety and security procedures.
In a memo to employees, the director, Peter Nanos, wrote that he is expanding the classified research suspension he announced Thursday to now include all research work being conducted at Los Alamos. Los Alamos is one of two nuclear weapons research laboratories in the US.
Kevin Roark, a spokesman for the laboratory, said that some departments will be able to return to work within a few days, and that others will remain closed for a week or even more, until we refresh the procedures with each employee. The laboratory also continues to compile an inventory list of 40 information storage facilities that include classified information. For years Los Alamos has been criticized for administrative and security failures.
The University of California, which has run the Los Alamos laboratory since it was established 61 years ago to produce the atomic bomb, may soon lose the contract to run it. The Ministry of Energy decided last year to request bids from competitors, and may soon publish a request for bids. The university's contract will end in September 2005.
"No one understands how we got into this situation," Nanos wrote in the memo. "I emphasized to everyone I met with that the disregard for the rules should stop, and I don't care how many people I have to fire for it to stop
The person responsible on behalf of the university for the issue of supervision of the Los Alamos laboratory said on Tuesday that the disappearance of the facilities could be a national security problem, but refused to elaborate.
Senior officials also refused to describe the missing information, saying only that it was related to an experiment in the weapons physics department. They refused to specify exactly what the devices are - which may be diskettes, disks, memory cards, or other portable devices.
Physics expert
For news at the BBC
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~901278374~~~95&SiteName=hayadan
