WASHINGTON, May 7: There’s a serious possibility of Al Qaeda trying to steal nuclear weapons in Pakistan, says a report released recently by a Harvard University study group. The report, launched by a former US senator Sam Nunn, tries to persuade the United States and Russia to work together to prevent terrorist groups from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Mathew Bunn, who co-authored the report titled “Managing the Atom Project” with Anthony Weir, warned that the United States and Russia will become vulnerable to nuclear terrorism if they don’t focus on securing weapons of mass destruction. Mr Bunn warned that Pakistan’s arrest of suspected Al Qaeda operative Abu Farraj Al Libbi, announced on May 4, highlights that vulnerability. He said two assassination attempts against President Pervez Musharraf are believed to have been orchestrated by Al Libbi, with the collaboration of some military officers.

“The danger of nuclear theft is a global problem, not just a Russia problem,” said Mr Bunn while urging the United States and Russia to “forge a common nuclear standard for the world because terrorists are going to get nuclear material wherever it is easiest.”