The Bush administration is reported to have deployed hundreds of new sensors to detect any terrorist nuclear threat.

A neutron flux monitor

The Washington Post Sunday reports that since November the devices, called gamma ray and neutron flux detectors, have been placed at border points, as well as in strategic areas in Washington and overseas U.S. facilities.

The newspaper says the elite Delta Force commando unit has been placed on alert to seize control of any nuclear materials the sensors may detect. The Post says the force has been assigned to kill or disable anyone with a suspected nuclear device. It would then turn the nuclear device over to scientists to be disarmed.

The precautions come amid fears the al-Qaida terrorist group may be close to obtaining nuclear or radiological weapons.

A government policymaker is quoted as saying the sense of urgency has "clearly... gone up."

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