Russia and the other 11 countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States were supposed to have destroyed their biological weapons long ago.
Patrushev said the FSB was examining security in the defense industry and other entities that have been involved in the production of WMD to make sure that they aren't vulnerable to terrorist groups.
Earlier this summer an official with Russia's Defense Ministry said the FSB had information that terrorist groups were making plans to target the military's nuclear arsenals, according to the Moscow Times.
Patrushev's new comments came after Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev threatened to stage new terrorist attacks and hinted that he might go beyond conventional attacks.
In an interview broadcast in the U.S. on ABC, Basayev vowed to "do everything possible" to end the Chechen war.
Chechen rebels have sought to acquire radioactive and biological materials, plotted to hijack a nuclear submarine and conducted surveillance of the military's nuclear installations, the Times reports.
In a sign that Russian authorities are growing increasingly concerned over the WMD threat, the FSB and the military are holding regular exercises to guard against terrorist attacks on nuclear installations.
The next exercise will take place in Armenia in 2006, and will focus on repelling an attack on a nuclear power plant.
102
© 2019 Newsmax. All rights reserved.