IAEA Chief Warns Of 'Terrorist' Threats To Nuclear Sites

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency has warned that "terrorists" could attack or sabotage nuclear facilities in countries where security is weak.

"In this area, international cooperation is extremely important because terrorists always target the weak link," Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on January 26.

He urged governments to be alert to such threats, which he described as "a very serious issue."

"The country which does not recognize the threat of terrorist sabotage or attacks on nuclear power plants or facilities is the most dangerous country," Amano said in Singapore. He did not refer to any specific threats or countries.

In July 2014, media reports cited Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohamed Ali Alhakim, as telling UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that insurgents had seized nearly 40 kilograms of uranium compounds kept at Mosul University.

Based on reporting by AFP