

I was under the impression that to obtain fissionable materials (i.e.,
plutonium or reactor/weapons-grade uranium) one was required to obtain
a federal permit to own such materials.


Actually, why bother looking it up?  From the material we covered last
term (in 10 weeks) of Ge/Ch 127 (Nuclear Chemistry), I could *derive*
what it would take to build a bomb.  And as far as the explosive charge,
I (as a chemist) could synthesize a variety of explosives from commonly
available chemicals in the garage if I felt like.  The electronics 
behind the detonator and the shaped charges are a little trickier,
however . . . but not impossible using a few "tricks of the trade."
And if I really wanted to be nasty, I could include a core of 
hydrogen and deuterium . . .

Of course, the hardest part is getting the fissionable material
to start with, and living long enough to put a bomb together. 
(Plutonium has some *nasty* properties . . .)
