Year
2005
Abstract
The International Atomic Energy Agency Illicit Trafficking Database (ITDB) Programme was established in 1995 as a joint initiative by the Department of Safeguards and Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. The Database provides an authoritative system for recording and analysing incidents involving the unauthorized acquisition, provision, possession, use, transfer or disposal of nuclear material, other radioactive material and radioactively contaminated material, whether intentional or unintentional, including discoveries of uncontrolled material. The ITDB was designed to (1) provide States with authoritative information to assist in their response to incidents and formulation of national policy on illicit trafficking; (2) allow the IAEA to maintain and analyse information on relevant incidents with a view to identifying common threats and trends, and to use this information for internal planning and prioritisation of the Agency’s Safeguards and security-related activities; and (3) provide a reliable source of basic information on trafficking incidents to the media. The ITDB is unique. The information contained in the database related to incidents, which have been confirmed by the States involved, concerning nuclear and other radioactive materials, supplemented by information collected from open sources. There are currently 81 State members to the ITDB programme; however, even non-participating States have provided information regarding some events. States have an opportunity to confirm or deny incidents originating from open sources, and may specify restrictions on dissemination of this information. As of December 2004, the ITDB has recorded over 660 incidents involving nuclear and other radioactive materials. While database statistics show the number of confirmed incidents involving nuclear materials has decreased since 1993-1994 and subsequently stabilized at a lower level, the number of confirmed cases involving radioactive sources has been on the increase since 1998.