Nuclear terrorism refers to an act of
terrorism in which a person or persons belonging to a
terrorist organization detonates a
nuclear device. Some definitions of nuclear terrorism include the sabotage of a nuclear facility and/or the detonation of a radiological device, colloquially termed a
dirty bomb, but consensus is lacking. In
legal terms, nuclear terrorism is an offense committed if a person unlawfully and intentionally “uses in any way radioactive material … with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury; or with the intent to cause substantial damage to property or to the environment; or with the intent to compel a natural or legal person, an international organization or a State to do or refrain from doing an act”, according to the 2005 United Nations
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.