Red Mercury Scare In Atlanta ???

While viewing reports claiming the I-85 bridge collapse was a terror attack, I came across another report stating that "red mercury" had caused a scare at the NRC office in Atlanta:

http://www.ajc.com/news/local/downtown-streets-closed-amid-red-mercury-investigation/9xfH610HG8kqOlvNT6N3EP/

Allegedly, red mercury can be used to create miniaturized nuclear bombs.

But is that allegation credible? Let's consider a possibly related fact.

According to the following report, firing 192 high powered lasers at a capsule of cryogenic hydrogen failed to ignite a fusion reaction during tests at Lawrence Livermore:

http://peakoil.com/alternative-energy/fusion-ignition-failed

I find it hard to believe that a chemical reaction involving "red mercury" could produce and focus enough energy to yield the temperature and pressure necessary to ignite fusion if those 192 lasers could not. And if "red mercury" is capable of such a feat, then why wasn't it used in those fusion tests?

By the way, Kirk Levedahl, the former program manager for NIF’s ignition effort who is mentioned in the report, was my roommate at the US Navy Officer Candidate School back in 1974. Obviously, we followed different career paths after receiving our commissions.