Attempts to smuggle highly-radioactive materials to Islamic State militants have been foiled numerous times in the last five years, an investigation into Eastern Europe's black market in nuclear goods has found.
According to an Associated Press investigation at least four plots involving smugglers using Russian links to connect to Middle Eastern extremist groups, were stopped by local authorities working with the FBI.
In the four cases that were discovered gangs in Eastern Europe's Moldova were attempting to sell the radioactive material specifically to IS buyers.
During one attempted deal last February an arms smuggler reportedly tried to sell a cache of caesium, enough to sow deadly radiation upon several city blocks, with the strict intention of it reaching the Islamic State group.
He told his prospective buyer, who was actually an undercover agent: "You can make a dirty bomb, which would be perfect for the Islamic State."
In another deal a Russian known as "The Colonel", who investigators believed to be an officer with Russia's FSB intelligence agency, tried to sell bomb-grade uranium and bomb blueprints to a Sudanese buyer but the deal was scuppered after being discovered thanks to wiretapping.
Investigators revealed the details of their sting operations, which saw informants and police posing as connected gangsters to penetrate the smuggling gangs, to the Associated Press in order to highlight the danger the nuclear black market posed.
Constantin Malic, a Moldovan police officer who investigated all four cases, said: "We can expect more of these cases. As long as the smugglers think they can make big money without getting caught, they will keep doing it."
Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the discovery of plots to sell radioactive material to Islamic State was a reminder of the international threat the group poses.
He told Sky News: "It is a chilling reminder of just how dangerous Isil is - a very direct threat not just in the Middle East to the government of Iraq and the people of Syria, but a very direct threat to the West and a direct threat to this country.
"It's a reminder to all of us that we have to tackle Isil harder."
