האגודה הישראלית לחקר יחסי עבודה

Indeed, there is reason for concern: Islamic State's pre-eminent ideologue and originator of the lone-wolf method, Abu Musab al-Suri, has called on followers to use dirty weapons against Western targets. He also voiced his regret that such a weapon was not used in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York: "We could have disposed of a much larger number of people who support President [George W.] Bush, who made it possible for him to be re-elected. ... I am convinced that the slogan 'a dirty weapon for a dirty nation [the U.S.]' is certainly justified," al-Suri said at the time. Osama bin Laden himself said in the past: "We do not think it is a crime to try acquiring chemical, biological or atomic weapons we have the right to defend ourselves."

Until today there has been no evidence of such a weapon falling into Islamic State's hands, or of such a weapon ever being used by other terrorist groups. However, as early as the mid-1990s, outlines for assembling radioactive bombs were found in Chechnya. The direction is clear: Islamic State has already used chemical weapons in the war in Syria, and in 1999 Jordanian authorities reported they had thwarted a chemical terrorist attack against intelligence bases in Amman.

Furthermore, we ourselves have seen attempts to carry out terrorist attacks integrating hazardous materials. Two weeks ago a terrorist attack on the Jerusalem Light Rail was stopped. The terrorist, a civil engineering student at Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron (a far cry from the impoverished and oppressed model of terrorist) prepared three pipe bombs containing nails and bolts, which he doused in rat poison. If he had stuck to his plan to bomb a restaurant, his evil plot likely would have succeeded.

In March, we learned that the terrorists who perpetrated the attacks in Brussels had planned to target nuclear facilities in Belgium. Experts raised two hypotheses about that planned attack: that the terrorists would try stealing radioactive material to use in a future attack; or damage the nuclear plant enough to cause a Chernobyl-like disaster. They also assumed the terrorists could utilize Muslim employees at the nuclear plants. Lo and behold, immediately following the attack, four employees had their security clearances revoked. What's more, among the jihadis to emigrate from Belgium to fight in Syria was a 24-year-old who had worked at a Belgian nuclear power plant.

To this point, despite all the lethal terrorist attacks, Western heads of state have not taken decisive steps to eradicate radical Islam. In France, out of the 120 mosques known to disseminate Salafist ideology, only 20 have been shut down. Moreover, the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, which is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and was declared a terrorist organization by Gulf emirate states, has remained completely legal, operates hundreds of mosques throughout the country and convenes conferences. In the predominantly Muslim lawless areas and neighborhoods, French authorities continue to hold dialogue with Muslim religious leaders in an effort to maintain an "industrial peace." After the first "dirty bomb" attack occurs, we won't be able to say we didn't see it coming.

Dr. Ephraim Herrera is the author of "Jihad -- Fundamentals and Fundamentalism."