The idea that the Islamic State or Al Qaeda might get their hands on radioactive material was the main topic for the second and closing day of the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit.
The meeting of more than 50 world leaders began with a focus on North Korea, even as Pyongyang fired a short-rang missile into the waters off it's eastern coast.
Our U.S. Correspondent Priscilla Huff has the top takeaways from the summit:
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The 2016 Nuclear Security Summit started with concerns about North Korea
President Obama, met first with the leaders of Japan and South Korea
then held a bilateral with China's President Xi JinPing
during which the immediate, pressing concern of Kim John Un's nuclear amibitions took up a lot of discussion time.
Despite the launch of a missile by Pyongyang just as the summit kicked into high gear,
The first takeaway is that President Obama is most worried about the Islamic State.
(SUPER: Barack Obama, U.S. President)
the threat of nuclear terrorism persists and continues to evolve. Fortunately, because of our coordinated efforts, no terrorist group has succeeded thus far in obtaining a nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb made of radioactive materials. But we know that al Qaida has long sought nuclear materials. Individuals involved in the attacks in Paris and Brussels videotaped a senior manager who works at a Belgian nuclear facility. ISIL has already used chemical weapons, including mustard gas, in Syria and Iraq. There is no doubt that if these madmen ever got their hands on a nuclear bomb or nuclear material they most certainly would use it to kill as many innocent people as possible.
And that's why our work here remains so critical. The single most effective defense against nuclear terrorism is fully securing this material so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands in the first place.
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But in sessions with the leaders from more than 50 countries,
U.S. President Barack Obama made it clear,
he wanted to take advantage of this group meeting to discuss and increasing cooperation to counter transnationa threats
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(SUPER: Barack Obama, U.S. President)
We all have a role to play. We're all going to have to do more when it comes to intelligence-sharing. We simply cannot afford to have critical intelligence not being shared as needed -- whether between governments or within governments. And today is an opportunity to explore ways to step up those efforts.
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And yet
as much as U-S president Barack Obama wanted to promote how much has been accomplished to increase the security of nuclear technology and radioactive materials,
he couldn't escape American politics
He admitted that he was repeatedly asked on the sidelines about comments made earlier by Republican front-runner Donald Trump
that maybe Japan and South Korea should built their own nuclear arsenals.
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(SUPER: Barack Obama, U.S. President)
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But whomever is the next president of the United States
this is the last leaders summit on nuclear security.
Five non-governmental organizations will take the reins going forward for future meetings
and President Obama announced a working group on sharing intelligence, moderated by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
Priscilla Huff, Washington
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