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Home Front: WoT
Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station software is breached
2007-04-21
via Lucianne
Federal authorities are accusing a former engineer at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station of illegally taking software codes to Iran and downloading details of control rooms, reactors and designs of the nation's largest nuclear plant.
Not good.
Officers arrested Mohammad "Mo" Alavi, 49, in Los Angeles this month and charged him with one count of violating a trade embargo, which prohibits Americans from exporting goods and services to Iran.
Authorities say there is no evidence to suggest the use of the software was linked to terrorists or the Iranian government, which has clashed with the U.S. over attempts to develop a nuclear program.
Posted by:mrp

#12  The investigation has not led us to believe this information was taken for the purpose of being used by a foreign government or terrorists to attack us," FBI spokeswoman

And there's no such thing as Sudden Jihad Syndrome.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-04-21 20:30  

#11  Thats power. correct. But your weapons program is going to be a disaster Iran.
Posted by: newc   2007-04-21 20:11  

#10  Makes sense.
Posted by: Icerigger   2007-04-21 18:49  

#9  This is another possible take on why iran might want this..

Suppose you can mange to get an attack team into the generating facility. With foreknowledge of the saftey procedures and detailed information of the systems, you can quickly and efficiently cause a malfunction (or series of them) that will lead to a meltdown or similar.

just a thought
Posted by: Abu do you love   2007-04-21 17:24  

#8  PWR = Pressurized Water Reactor

KWU = Kraftwerk Union (Seiemens and AEG joint venture).

CE = Combustion Engineering (now part of Westinghouse)

VVER = Vodno Vodyanoi Energetichesky Reactor (water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor)
Posted by: John Frum   2007-04-21 17:02  

#7  Mohammad "Mo" Alavi

Muslim? What a fricking surprise.
Posted by: Icerigger   2007-04-21 14:21  

#6  Jack, could you explain the initials. I don't know what you're talking about, but sure would like to.
Posted by: Steve White   2007-04-21 13:56  

#5  Doesn't compute. Palo Verde are CE PWR's where as Bushehr are now VVER-1000 Light Water PWR's from Mother Russia. Not even close to the same safety and security systems. Bushehr used to be a KWU PWR but Iraq bombed the hell out of it during the Iraq-Iran war. If anything, he was trying to show them the differences and where they could improve on the Russian design for safety reasons and how to handle the spent fuel which they would want to enrich and make a booom! Neat thing about PVNPP is that each of the 3 units basically stands alone without sharing common systems and facilities.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2007-04-21 13:38  

#4  The software stolen was simulation software. Chances are the guy gave the Iranians the executables plus the files for the layout of the plant. In this regard it doesn't appear likely the purpose for the theft was to advance Iran's nuclear program but to provide a means of showing how a nuclear plant would work, possibly in times of emergency.

The code could be used by terrorists.

That's my generally uninformed take on the arrest.

Your milage may vary.
Posted by: badanov   2007-04-21 13:03  

#3  Nice picture, though the swastika should be replaced by a quarter moon and Venus.
Posted by: Swiss Tex   2007-04-21 12:39  

#2  No, hold the firing squad until you've milked him dry, then assemble the squad.

Preferably at GITMO to provide an "Object lesson" for the future wannabe bullet catchers.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2007-04-21 12:03  

#1  "Officers arrested Mohammad "Mo" Alavi, 49, in Los Angeles this month and charged him with one count of violating a trade embargo..."

Good grief... in a sane society, he'd be charged with a helluva lot more than that; a people whose common sense had not been rotted out by liberal bullshit would have shoved this bastard in front of a firing squad by now.

Posted by: Dave D.   2007-04-21 11:54  

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