Nuclear Terrorism: Assessing the Danger

This article attempts to make a realistic assessment of the danger of nuclear terrorism. While acknowledging the catastrophic consequences of an act of terrorism employing either an improvised nuclear device or a violent attack against a nuclear installation causing spread of lethal radioactivity, it also highlights the complexity of the challenges likely to be confronted by any would-be nuclear terrorist. The article concludes that while there is no room for complacency, and concerted efforts such as the NSS and other global initiatives like GICNT and ICSANT must continue to thwart any possibility of nuclear terrorism, the probability of such a disastrous event remains low. © 2014 Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.