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Obama focuses on nuclear terror
Al-QAEDA THREAT: US officials said that although the
threat of nuclear war has faded after the end of the Cold War, the real threat
of nuclear terrorism has increased
AFP, WASHINGTON
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2010, Page 1
US President Barack Obama said on Sunday that al-Qaeda would not hesitate to use
a nuclear weapon against the US, before hosting a global summit aimed at
thwarting such a nightmare scenario.
Obama was to seek support from fellow leaders for his effort to safeguard all
unsecured nuclear material around the world within four years when he opened the
largest summit chaired by a US president in 65 years yesterday.
He conjured up the horrific possibility of a nuclear detonation in New York
City, London or Johannesburg, and the serious global economic, political and
security trauma that would result, to characterize the gravity of the threat.
ˇ§The single biggest threat to US security, both short-term, medium-term and
long-term, would be the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a
nuclear weapon,ˇ¨ Obama said on the eve of the two-day summit.
ˇ§This is something that could change the security landscape of this country and
around the world for years to come,ˇ¨ Obama said. ˇ§We know that organizations
like al-Qaeda are in the process of trying to secure a nuclear weapon ˇX a weapon
of mass destruction that they have no compunction at using.ˇ¨
Despite the focus on extremist groups, two states ˇX Iran and North Korea, which
already has the bomb ˇX will cast a shadow over the global meet.
Washington is leading an effort to toughen sanctions within weeks on Iran over
its nuclear program, which the US and its allies say is aimed at producing
weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
The White House will seek concrete commitments from world leaders on securing
stockpiles of separated plutonium and uranium to ensure that they cannot be
stolen, smuggled or sold to extremists.
ˇ§The threat of nuclear war ... has diminished. The threat of nuclear terrorism
has increased,ˇ¨ US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told ABC News.
To begin his counter-proliferation drive, Obama met Kazakhstani President
Nursultan Nazerbayev and South African President Jacob Zuma.
He also held talks with Indian Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Pakistani
Yousuf Raza Gilani.
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