April 2, 2008 -- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Ranking Member Susan Collins R-Me., Wednesday examined the nature of the threat of nuclear terrorism against the homeland - the intent and capability of terrorists to obtain nuclear materials, build a bomb, transport it, and detonate it.

At the hearing, entitled “Nuclear Terrorism: Assessing the Threat to the Homeland,” Charles Allen, the Department of Homeland Security’s chief intelligence officer said, “there is no doubt in my mind” that Al Qaeda is intent on obtaining nuclear weapons. The hearing marked the second in a series of hearings examining the role of the federal government in preventing and responding to a terrorist nuclear attack within the United States.

In his written testimony, Mr. Allen also stated that there were non-trivial challenges to developing a nuclear device, primarily the acquisition of sufficient weapons-usable nuclear material. "This is the biggest obstacle; without sufficient amounts of weapons-usable nuclear
material, a terrorist cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Additional obstacles include
devising a feasible nuclear design, device fabrication, and avoiding detection during
delivery to target. However, the acquisition of material remains the biggest challenge. ... Protecting weapons-usable nuclear material worldwide is one of the best actions to protect the Homeland."

Following the public hearing, members of the Committee received a classified briefing from several intelligence agencies on the threat of nuclear terrorism. The next Committee hearing on the nuclear terrorist threat is scheduled for April 15, and is titled "Nuclear Terrorism: Confronting the Challenges of the Day After."