Washington — The second-in-command of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says that the toppling of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria is the largest threat to United States national security and may help Al-Qaeda acquire chemical weapons.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell said the prospect of the Syrian government being replaced by Al-Qaeda is his biggest worry.

Morell’s statement is especially surprising considering America’s official position on the Syrian civil war. President Barack Obama has repeatedly called Assad a dictator, who is responsible for more than 100,000 lives lost in a bloody conflict between government forces and rebels.

Should the current regime collapse without a stable government to step up to the plate, Morell said the warheads being held by Assad may end up in the hands of America’s adversaries.

The U.S. remains embarked on a plan that would aid Syrian rebels by way of supplying them with arms. However, with Al-Qaeda extremists participating in that same war against Assad, one wrong turn could cause the U.S. to accidentally equip its most feared enemy.

According to Morell, the Syrian government’s weapons “are going to be up for grabs and up for sale” if Assad is ousted. Unless the U.S. has a plan of attack ready for that moment, munitions and warheads currently controlled by Assad could end up in anyone’s hands.

Morell warned that Al-Qaeda, which is openly fighting with the rebels, could take the opportunity to gain Assad’s weapons.

Morell said that Syria is probably the most important issue in the world today because of where it is currently heading.

“I don’t remember a time when there have been so many national security issues on the front burner as there are today.”