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WASHINGTON — Justin Trudeau will be among the world leaders gathering to contemplate the spine-tingling scenario of terrorists getting hold of nuclear weapons.

The prime minister will be in Washington this week at the last of the nuclear-safety summits organized by President Barack Obama.

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The leaders will close out the two-day event with a session that discusses a hypothetical nuclear-terrorism scenario.

But that conversation will be happening amid unnerving real-life events.

Belgium has just deployed soldiers to defend its nuclear facilities — after terrorist attacks in that country, and several incidents involving site personnel.

Analysts believe al-Qaida and Japan’s Aum Shinrikyo have actively pursued nuclear weapons and they’ve begun expressing concern the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant might have similar designs.

“A terrorist attack with an improvised nuclear device would create political, economic, social, psychological and environmental havoc,” said Laura Holgate, a White House aide who oversees efforts to limit the threat from weapons of mass destruction.