SELANGOR police has assembled a special team of police officers to search for the missing Radioactive Dispersal Device (RDD) with the help of experts from the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB).

Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor said his men are already working with AELB to relocate the dangerous radioactive isotope Iridium 192 that has gone missing since August 10.

“If one is exposed to 50 curie of Iridium radiation in a 1m-radius, he or she will be exposed to at least 500 millisievert of radiation.

“If it is less, one will vomit and will endure severe headache. If more than 500 millisievert, it will cause the skin to burn,” Mazlan said today.

“We are working to find the missing item so that it will not be mishandled by anyone who found it,” he added.

The 23kg device, an Industrial radiography equipment, contains the radioactive isotope iridium-192, which emits beta and gamma radiation as it decays during its estimated half-life of 73 days.

Earlier today, Bukit Aman had ruled out any links to terrorism in the incident.

Special Branch counter-terrorism division principal assistant director Ayub Khan Mydin Pitchay said his unit had checked on both technicians, who were previously remanded, and found no links to militant activities.

“We have investigated the incident and the two men who were arrested and found no links to terrorism,” he said.

“The case is now being handled by the criminal investigation department.”

The two men were thoroughly investigated, including having their personal devices scanned by forensic units.

Selangor CID chief Fadzil Ahmat confirmed that the device is still missing.

Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said yesterday that this is not the first time such a device had gone missing.

Fuzi said the device that had gone missing previously has not been recovered. – August 21, 2018.