A disturbing report from media in Belgium today that raises the spectre of a terrorist attack on a nuclear plant.

A security guard who worked at a Belgium nuclear plant was shot and killed and his pass was stolen.

Reuters:

The French language Derniere Heure (DH) newspaper reported the security guard's badge was de-activated as soon as it was discovered he had been shot dead in the Charleroi region of Belgium and his badge stolen.

A police spokeswoman said she could not comment because an investigation was ongoing.

In a nation on high alert following this week's attacks, the report stokes fears about the possibility militants are seeking to get hold of nuclear material or planning to attack a nuclear site.

On Thursday, DH had reported the suicide bombers who blew themselves up on Tuesday originally considered targeting a nuclear site, but a series of arrests of suspect militants forced them to speed up their plans and instead switch focus to the Belgian capital.

Late last year, investigators found a video tracking the movements of a man linked to the country's nuclear industry during a search of a flat as part of investigations into the Islamist militant attack on Paris on Nov. 13 that killed 130 people.

The video, lasting several hours, showed footage of the entrance to a home in northern Belgium and the arrival and departure of the director of Belgium's nuclear research program.

There are several layers of security to protect these plants and it isn't likely that terrorists could use  the dead security guard's pass to gain entrance. In fact, we don't even know if terrorists were responsible for his death.

But the terrorists have proven themselves to be technically savvy and possessing the pass at least gives them a template to work from. What could they create from studying the pass? If authorities know, they aren't saying.

Squads of anti-terror police, army, and security service personnel are scrambling all over Europe looking to head off the next attack.  So many targets. So little time.