Publication

This paper discusses some of the factors dictating why instability in the Middle East may have increased the risk of a terrorist group being able to acquire and use chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. These factors include 1) the conflict in Syria and the insurgency in Iraq emboldening jihadi groups in the region to orchestrate large scale high-casualty attacks; 2) the extent of the access to financial resources available to these jihadi groups; 3) the increase in the number of safe havens for terrorist groups in the Middle East; 4) the potential accessibility afforded to groups like the Islamic State to CBRN materials in Syria; and 5) the potential scientific expertise of some foreign fighters.