Will nuclear terrorism really happen? 'Very real risk' of ISIS with nuclear weapons appears

'Making a crude nuclear bomb would not be easy, but is potentially within the capabilities of a technically sophisticated terrorist group.'

Despite their archaic torture and terror methods, a new report indicates the Islamic State is prepared to play their trump card.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In the Harvard study, titled Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: Continuous Improvement or Dangerous Decline?, authors Matthew Bunn, Martin Malin, Nicholas Roth and William Tobey describe the "very real" risk of nuclear terrorism.

The executive summary states: "In the two years since the last nuclear security summit, security for nuclear materials has improved modestly-but the capabilities of some terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State, have grown dramatically, suggesting that in the net, the risk of nuclear terrorism may be higher than it was two years ago."

 In the Introduction, the study describes the difficulty in which nuclear bomb materials can be collected as neither plutonium nor highly enriched uranium occur in nature and are "likely beyond the ability of terrorists to produce."

As the materials are difficult to acquire, the speculation is that terrorists must steal materials - which is exactly what ISIS is suspected of doing.

Earlier this month, Iran realized radioactive isotopes that could be manipulated into the creation of a dirty bomb had gone missing, leaving officials to point the finger at the terrorist group.
The study also revealed the three ways in which terrorists can attack via nuclear means:

• Denotation of a nuclear bomb
• Sabotage of a nuclear facility
• Use of a dirty bomb to spread radioactive materials

 While the detonation of a bomb has been labeled "most catastrophic," the study revealed the other two threats could create serious, though less devastating, results.

"The radiation from a dirty bomb, by contrast, might not kill anyone-at least in the near term-but could impose billions of dollars in economic disruptions and cleanup costs," the study reads. "The effects of sabotage of a nuclear facility would depend heavily on the specific nature of the attack, but would likely range between the other two types of attack in severity.

"The difficulty of achieving a successful sabotage is also intermediate between the other two."
Though the threat of a nuclear-based terror attack is not impossible, the study did reveal it was unlikely, especially if developed nations up their nuclear security.

The Harvard writers recommend making nuclear security a priority by:

• Designating a senior director on the National Security Council staff to lead efforts to
• strengthen nuclear security and prevent nuclear terrorism.
• Develop a clear strategic plan for nuclear security for the entire presidential
• term, integrating the actions of all relevant departments in a whole-of-government
• approach.
• Putting nuclear security high on the diplomatic agenda, as an item to be raised with
• every relevant country, at every level, whenever it would contribute to progress
• toward the nuclear security goal.
• Working with Congress to ensure that no effort that could significantly reduce the
• danger of nuclear terrorism is slowed by lack of funds.

Whether these suggestions will be discussed and implemented remains to be seen and the United States government has yet to make a statement pertaining to the study.

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