PARIS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- France has decided to create an anti-terror unit specialized in fight against threats linked to nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical materials, the Prime Minister's office announced the decision in a decree published Saturday on the Official Gazette.

    The inter-ministerial technical assistance team takes operation countrywide to respond the above terrorist threats. It is under the authority of the Interior Ministry, but the chief of the unit still waits for further nomination, the decree said.

    Combining the capability of police and gendarmes, the new detachment is responsible for technical intervention on "any device able to release nuclear energy or contain other radiological, biological or chemical substances that hazardous to people, public property or the environment."

    It will also provide assistance to and cooperate with police, gendarmes and customs if any concerned technical support is needed, the decree added.

    Cases of nuclear or dirty bombs is currently operated by the Central Inter-ministerial Technical Intervention Detachment, built up by police elites, and an anti-terror unit under the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group.

    The Official Gazette is the place where the government publishes its administrative decisions before promoting binding on the French public.