SHOCK CLAIM: US is moving nukes from Turkey to Romania amid fears ISIS could snatch them

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/701758/US-Nuclear-Weapons-Stimson-Center-Islamic-State-Incirlik

THE US is moving is stock of nuclear weapons from Turkey to Romania over fears terrorists could gain access to them, it has been claimed.

By Fraser Moore

PUBLISHED: 05:12, Fri, Aug 19, 2016 | UPDATED: 06:12, Fri, Aug 19, 2016

21

GETTY

It has been claimed the US is moving its nuclear missiles out of Turkey over terror fears

Around 50 US nuclear weapons are stored in Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.

But sources said the terror threat and worsening relations between Washington and Ankara means the nukes will be moved the Deveselu air base in Romania.

The source said: “It’s not easy to move 20 plus nukes.”

Related articles

• 
  North Korea in terrifying new nuclear warning to the West
• 
  Kim Jong Un’s deputy ambassador in London defects to South Korea

GETTY

Around 50 US nukes are stored in the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey

And another source added relations between the two governments have “deteriorated so much following the coup that Washington no longer trusted Ankara to host the weapons”.

The shock claims come after a report by the Stimson Centre warned the stash of nuclear missiles could fall into the hands of terrorists such as Islamic State.

Whether the US could have maintained control of the weapons in the event of a protracted civil conflict in Turkey is an unanswerable question

Stimson Centre report

The report said: “Whether the US could have maintained control of the weapons in the event of a protracted civil conflict in Turkey is an unanswerable question.”

And Laicie Heely, the report’s author, added: “From a security point of view, it’s a roll of the dice to continue to have approximately 50 of America’s nuclear weapons stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.”

GETTY

Relations between Turkey and Ankara have deteriorated in recent months

The alleged destination for the missiles – 600 miles from Incirlik – is the home of the Aegis defence system that protects NATO countries from missile attack from the middle east.

A NATO spokesman told EurActiv.com: “NATO’s nuclear deterrence posture also relies, in part, on United States’ nuclear weapons forward-deployed in Europe and on capabilities and infrastructure provided by Allies concerned.

CLICK TO READ MORE