Iraqi security forces say they are searching for “ highly dangerous ” radioactive material , which was stolen in 2015 , with officials suggesting that ISIS could use it as a weapon . The material , which is stored in a laptop - sized protective case , disappeared in 2016 from a facility near the southern city of Basra . It had been the property of US oilfield services in 2015 . It has been reported that the material is classified as a category ii radioactive source . The ministry says the material posed a risk of bodily and environmental harm as well as a national security threat , adding it " could simply be attached to explosives to make a dirty bomb " says an official at the interior ministry .
Iraqi security forces say they are searching for “highly dangerous” radioactive material, which was stolen in 2015, with officials fearing that ISIS could use it as a weapon. The material, which is stored in a laptop-sized protective case, disappeared in November from a facility near the southern city of Basra. It had been the property of US oilfield services company Weatherford. It has been reported that the material is classed as a category 2 radioactive source. The ministry says the material posed a risk of bodily and environmental harm as well as a national security threat, adding it "could simply be attached to explosives to make a dirty bomb" says an official at the interior ministry.