THIS RESEARCH REPORT CONTAINS REMARKS AND DISCUSSIONS RELATIVE TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF TERRORISM AND THE DANGERS INHERENT TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE EVENT TERRORISTS GAINED POSSESSION OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS. IT IDENTIFIES THE MOST LIKELY MATERIALS THAT WOULD BE TARGETED, DESCRIBES WEAKNESSES WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR TERRORISTS TO GAIN POSSESSION OF SUCH MATERIALS, AND ADDRESSES THE POSSIBILITY OF A TERRORIST OR TERRORIST GROUP CONSTRUCTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON FROM OPEN-BOOK SOURCES READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.(AUTHOR ABSTRACT)....BDS