TERRORISTS COULD STEAL A NUCLEAR WEAPON INTACT, STEAL FISSIONABLE MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURE A DEVICE, OR GAIN THE COOPERATION OF A STATE 'ACTOR' WITH ACCESS EITHER TO DEVICES OR TO MATERIALS. THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THESE OPTIONS WOULD BE EMPLOYED BY PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS IS CONSIDERED, AND THE PROBLEMS POSED BY EACH OPTION ARE POINTED OUT. THE DISCUSSION OF PALESTINIAN RADICALS EMPHASIZES THAT THE 'FEDAYEEN' IS NOT MONOLITHIC BUT RATHER CONSISTS OF SUBGROUPS. THE SUBGROUPS LOOSELY LED BY YASIR ARAFAT WITHIN THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION ARE NOT LIKELY TO USE NUCLEAR TERRORISM. SUBGROUPS SUCH AS THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE, WHICH HAS DEMONSTRATED AN ALL-OR-NOTHING MENTALITY WITH REGARD TO THE CONTINUING EXISTENCE OF ISRAEL, ARE MORE LIKELY TO RESORT TO NUCLEAR TERRORISM. TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS -- THREAT CREDIBILITY, SECURITY, DELIVERY, TARGET SELECTION -- THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED BY POTENTIAL NUCLEAR TERRORISTS ARE DISCUSSED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MIDDLE EAST SITUATION. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT TERRORISTS AS YET HAVE NOT USED BIOLOGICAL OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS, WHICH ARE FAR EASIER TO PRODUCE AND DEPLOY THAN NUCLEAR DEVICES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WHILE A POSSIBILITY, IS NOT AS GREAT A THREAT AS HAS BEEN THOUGHT BY SOME. (LKM)