The United Nations has told RTÉ News that it is concerned that 380 tons of explosives which have gone missing in Iraq could be used in terrorist acts.
The explosives disappeared from the al-Qaqaa facility near Baghdad during looting after the invasion of Iraq last year.
The UN says the US-led coalition had been warned about the danger posed by the explosives on several occasions and coalition forces were specifically told to keep the material secure.
Melissa Fleming from the International Atomic Energy Agency said the material had previously been monitored by UN inspectors but they were forced to suspend monitoring activities during the invasion.
She said the explosives could be used in powerful conventional weapons or to detonate nuclear devices.
