If "the danger will become greater" then the gaps in our legal system must be closed. The ancien regime of laws against religiously inspired terrorism is completely inadequate. It must be overthrown and replaced by a new regime that will apprehend these terrorists not on "solid evidence", which is a will-o'-the-wisp search in the shadowy world of terror, but on mere suspicion.

Our culture is flawed because of its softness, generosity, and kindness, in this most UNKIND of times generated by the terrorists. It will need to counter generate the resoluteness and fortitude to make the "MOST UNKIND OF CUTS" against this mortal foe by depriving him of civilized legal processes, that more often than not protect him.

It will be an irremediable folly to overplay the FIDDLE OF LEGALITY whilst Western civilization is at the threshold of burning.

Con George-Kotzabasis, Melbourne, Australia

The British need to get serious-while we recognise not all muslims are terrorists-the sad fact is all terrorists are muslims.Time to get serious on this issue.Muslims in Saudi have no hesitation discriminating against non-muslims-can't even drive down the road to Medina.Females must cover their head. Lets have a law that females must not cover their faces-it offends our western ways.Since male muslims have used burqua's to escape detection-time to ban burqua wearing in public perhaps.After all if you can do it with smoking why not??

bob expat toronto, Toronto, Canada

It is Muslims who have alienated themselves from British society. The British have in fact been incredibly tolerant of them.

John, Beijing (ex-London), China (ex-UK)

Terror in Colombia is happening badly with kidnappings lasting up to 9 years and there is still not enough public knowledge about it in Europe and the UK. What a country have to do grab attention from the media and get the enough support from the international community?

Alvaro, London,

It seems a lot of the people commenting here, don't have even the basic understanding of what Islam is. People say why don't Muslims Condemn these acts. I say look at the papers and the variety of Muslim who are condemning these acts.

Majority of the Muslims in this country just get on with there lives.

Nassir, Birmingham, UK

How would ID cards have prevented this??? These are the types of people the authorities would bend over to issue them too?

Steve Byrne, christchurch, UK

What I'd like to know is:-

Given that warnings had been given to clubs etc , and it was the time of the coronation of Mr Brown , how is it credible that 2 similar cars both packed with gas cylinders , wreaking of petrol and all on show in busy places in London , were not noticed for hours - and only then by an ambulance crew?

Are those we pay to enforce our security in London and elsewhere inept in the extreme or did they already know these car bombs were not viable?

Considering the speed they rounded up the alleged network I begin to wonder if , reasonably enough , we are not being told even half the story.

Mind you it all looks good for Mr Brown - bombs but no deaths , super efficient police operation and calm , measured words from Government.

I smell a rat.

Bob Green, Essex, England

Well recent developments make a mockery of ID cards & the now ridiculous protracted difficulties of opening a simple bank account !!
This Iranian was legitimate in every way on the surface, from his passport to his bank account.
Here we have a killer [s ] in our midst employed as a pillar of the community in the medical profession.
They must be laughing out loud when they see what we good citizens have to go through because of them, the fact these terrorists are holding private cash parties to collect the needed funds & all hold a legitimate passport to pay for & travel freely to be radicalised in such places as Iraq or Pakistan .
The way they use normality , like marrying & having children shows just how cold blooded & deceitful they are.
I know most of them only marry to have sex which is forbidden outside marriage , so again how can any sane person think it is a better school of thought than our way of life ?
Islam is in trouble Muslims & their image is deeply tarnished worldwide.

Maggie , Brittany , France

I strongly disagree that we need more laws to constrain the freedoms of the majority to deal with this terror threat I have no problems with security checks or not being able to drop off or pick up an airport. I don't object to stronger checks or requirements on immigrants I am one. I will take off my shoes for them to be x rayed an all the other requirements. What I do object to is the government using this as a pretext to increase the time they can hold individuals to 90 days and I am appalled William Hague appears to be falling into line or any other law they wish to make more draconian. I was bought up to be proud of my British heritage and my rights and responsibilities with regards to civil liberties. I don't see that they should be removed, otherwise the terrorists have won as they have effectively changed our culture. Do not say that the innocent have nothing to fear, the debacle over jailing of the Birmingham Six & like proves government and the police can get things wrong.

S.Pearce, London, England

All this talk of "an attack on our way of life" is quite nauseating. Did this country along with the US not go gallivanting around the world trying to destroy other peoples way of life and impose its way of life on them?
What happened was wrong, but i would like every single citizen of the UK to apologise for the crimes their government has committed throughout the world before you ask the same from muslims in this country on something that again people have jumped to conclusions at.

H S, London,

We should start thinking of how to reclaim our European turf and culture from the ravages of "multi-culturalism". The Moslems who were allowed into Europe these last 30 years or less, would obviously feel happier in their Islamic lands. And we would certainly feel happier. In our own day to day lives we should tell me about how this would be for our mutual benefit.

Marco Borg, London, UK

Here we go again. Another article that assures us that most Moslems think terrorism evil. Please can I have your evidence for this assertion?

Tam Earl-Aine, Cheltenham,

Our political-media classes need to go much deeper in analysing our crisis of cultures. Clearly Muslims are not divided in a binary way between fanatics and mild spiritual people. There is a continuum between these two, on which sit lots of conservative Muslims, and lots of very questionable Imams who should have been screened as they came here but were not, thanks to New Labour bottling out.
But that focuses the point: membership of the UK is a privilege and should entail responsibilities and willingness to sign up to these. We used to assume that willingness, now we cannot - indeed the whole multi cultural dogma pushed by New Labour has smashed the idea of British values into pieces. We need to develop a way of ensuring all citizens 'sign up' to our social mores, so they can be in no doubt of their responsibilities. If they would prefer non western liberal democracy, they can move to Sharia states. We need to consider 'what is a western nation state' now?

BigIB, Haggerston, UK

All this talk of "an attack on our way of life" is quite nauseating. Did this country along with the US not go gallivanting around the world trying to destroy other peoples way of life and impose its way of life on them?
What happened was wrong, but i would like every single citizen of the UK to apologise for the crimes their government has committed throughout the world before you ask the same from muslims in this country on something that again people have jumped to conclusions at.

H S, Londno,

"Our own culture is deeply flawed; that is what makes us so vulnerable. "

Untrue. England's culture (along with those of other Western nations) is deeply flawed only when measured against some ideal culture. When compared with cultures around the world and throughout history, it ranks quite well, and that is what makes it strong rather than vulnerable.

alex simonelis, montreal,

How much more are we expected to endure without extreme measures against these people whose main aim in life is to destroy us and our democratic way of life.?

Bernard Parke, Guildford,

Maybe our airport security could be put to better use by concentrating on those who want to kill us - instead of simply bullying English pensioners who want to go on a package holiday?
Of course not - that would fall foul of the racist police; silly idea really!

Mike Bibby, St Albans, Rngland -not EU

"Many Muslims have been alienated from British society by the Iraq war and by public hostility based on the fear that they may be sympathetic to Islamic terrorists."

Who's fault is that? Its their responsiblity to form a modern, mature sense of identity instead of worldwide-Ummah tribalism. For British born Muslims in particular, its both absurd to have such entrenched geo-ideological sympathies with the Middle East, and inimical to British society.

And the Times reported 10,000 Muslims are indeed sympathetic to Al Qaeda - I suspect its many more than that. One of your colleagues has recently compared the MCB to Sinn Fein, and I myself compare Irish community support for the IRA to what happens in so-called mainstream Islam: it provides an ideological environment in which terrorism breeds. Hardly suprising then, despite MCB protests, that Muslims are indeed under suspicion - and remember, 4000 are under police and MI5 surveillance.

Joe, Manchester,

Khan thats the sort of attitude that as South Asians (judging from your name) and Muslims need to dispel among our general population. It is NOT acceptable to defend these actions from these fringe fanatics.

My frustration stems from the fact that we consistently manage to find random provocations against Muslims as justification and there is something far more insidious at play than the lame justifications provided. We can consistently look for excuses for these people but as a community and as countries we need to have a long look at ourselves and figure out where we have gone wrong. Our pride was not lost when Salman became Sir Salman, or that Israel calls all the shots in that region, it was lost alot earlier, with Muslim countries making up a lion's share of lowest HDI countries in the world. Fix your problems at home, give your youth a chance to compete in finance, technology on the world stage and that impotent aggression felt will be harnessed in a more constructive way.

Rayhan, Islamabad,

In the 4th paragraph there is the sentence " If they had done so there may have been heavy casualties, and the public response might be much more extreme".
I can hardly believe this is pure William Ree-Mogg, and I suspect the grammar has been edited. The conditional tense is appropriate following "If they had done so....." i.e "there might have been heavy casualties...." Secondly, "the public response might have been more extreme." follows from the use of "If they had....."
I hope I am not wrong. There is such an increase in the inappropriate use of the word "may" where "might" is called for by the construction. May I enter a plea for greater care.
There wa an editorial some years ago ,discussing a murder verdict, in which the word "may" was used in similar way. The phrase "may have been found guilty" was used in place of "might etc" which made it appear that a reporter had not stayed for the verdict.

F B Midgley, Sidcup,

It is one thing for Khan to highlight the awful acts of few men but that in no way should condone institutional violence. Today a relative of a child in Britain was sentenced for raping and killing the poor unfortunate. As a British man he is repugnant is our eyes, in khan's eyes had the creature been American he would have extrapolated and put all sorts of connotations to it. Is honour killing amongst Muslims any less ghastly then any other crime of passion? This is not a time for measuring the moral observance and religious fervour, no time for casting stones and trying to contrive a league table of repulsiveness. This is a time for the Muslim community in its new home making a choice. Does Islam in Britain want the British democratic system to persist or would it rather see this state destroyed by unelected, puritanical, self-obsessed criminals taking God's name in vain? Muslims are enacting their own apartheid. What channels of advancement are closing to Muslims after Glasgow?

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England

Two vastly diverse cultures. Two radically diverse realities. Two cultures deeply flawed. We as individual people, who populate these cultures are flawed, but why can't we simply peacefully co-exist as children of God/Allah? Give peace a chance.

Dr. Jean Oertel, Cape Cod, USA

I do not fear terrorist acts. What terrifies me is the spineless 'reaching out to communities' and the compromising of our own civilisation, culture and values in a futile attempt to agree to reach agreement with people who can see that we are scared, cowardly and quite unable and unwilling to defend ourselves. They will push us ruthlessly untli we capitulate entirely.

James, Norwich, UK

'This time we were lucky'. Just wondering why when we are attacked, God is often blamed or questions are asked as to where He is 'in all of this', but when attacks are averted, God is never mentioned, let alone thanked?! Whether people believe in God or not, please at least can they be consistent?!

Alison, Cardiff, Wales

Presumeably the eventual outcome of your advocacy would be a shared administration with Al Qaeda representatives in Britain , as has happened in N. Ireland after the IRA were 'persuaded' to lay down their arms.
Who in Britain could accept such an Outcome?
One that would be more venomous than the worst of the Nazi SS.
You would do better to think about the strategy of your silly remarks, or, have the British become so pitiable!?

John Gregory Flinn, Béalencourt., France.

Where are the demonstrations by so called moderate Muslims condemning these acts of terrorism. Their silence on these matters is the real worry. Do they secretly agree with the Islamist agenda of domination of the world? The silence of moderate Muslims is going to be their downfall.

Keith , Southampton, Hants

This editorial is emblamatic of the politically-correct, apologist viewpoint that has infected the U.K. and threatens its own security. Britain has long been admired for its custom, tradition, and cultural heritage. Why does it want to tear apart its own social fabric with the mass import of immigrants that refuse to assimilate? Instead of insisting on the adherence of civic values of a modern democracy, Britain wants to coddle the feelings of its Muslim arrivals. Farewell, Great Britannia, and hello, Londonistan.

Eric Cooper, Boston, MA, USA

Colonel Blimp is at it again.

Terror in Iraq?

I thought fighting invaders and their supporters was called something along the lines of partisan or guerilla war?

This time we were lucky?

And just how does this bromide contribute anything to anyone's understanding?

JOHN CHUCKMAN, Toronto, Canada

The attack on September 11th was executed with extreme skill and precision. The extremist muslim world is quite capable of pulling off a very damaging attack - the not very great technical sophistication required is certainly available. Were it not so, we would need to have no fear of Iran's nuclear technology.

The terrorists still lack training and experience - the 'war' is in its early days and they will attain this. Only a fool would suppose we face a limited threat due to an ideological weakness in our enemy which results in their inability to use technology effectively. The use by Al-Queda of the internet in a manner beyond almost all of the general public is an example of the fallacy of this viewpoint.

The comments by Mr Morrison simply betray his personal ignorance and, perhaps, prejudice. We were lucky this time, of that there is no doubt. As the IRA commented after the Brighton bombing, terrorists only need to be lucky once.

B McDonald, Exeter, UK

I am sick and tired of everyone blaming the situation in Iraq or the Palestinian/Israeli conflict AS THE REASONS for Muslim extremism. That is ignorant at best. Further, who died and said the middle east should be the exclusive home to ONLY MUSLIMS? More ignorance. If you want the answer to why this all happening (and it has been going on for years way before the Iraq war and 9/11) look no further to Saudi Arabia and its decades long funding of Wahhabist ideology that has singularly been pushed down the throats of Muslims. It has so thoroughly been evangeliced, that Muslims currently have no idea what the true tenants of their faith is anymore. In a way, that is there fault, not the West's fault and they are and will continue to pay the price for that.

Antonio, Washington DC, USA

This idea that Islamists are not true Muslims, but simply people who espouse a perverted version of their religion is frequently repeated. If this is the the case, then another question arises: why is it, that Islam, unlike other religions, produces a profusion of such individuals? To me, it seems that there must be something intrinsic to Islam which gives rise to this phenomenon, and that the “it’s just a few bad apples” explanation is not sufficient. We will get nowhere until this is acknowledged.

Trofim, Birmingham, UK

How much more are we expected to endure without extreme measures against these people whose main aim in life is to destroy us and our democratic way of life.?

Bernard Parke, Guildford,

Will the reporters and the suthorities stop calling these people - Asians. If they are muslims call them Muslims? These way you do distinquish between Chinese, Indians, Malasians and Pakistanis (and Arabs). If they are pakistanis say so. If they are Iranians say so. Saying Asians you swiping insults at other people who are not ethnically Terrorists.

Ken, MK,

Mr Mogg, we can only successfully eliminate the threat to us when we start recognising our own terrorist acts. Go to the blogs where you see how US forces are treating the Iraqis and Afghanis in their countries. Read about the rape of 14 year old Abeer Al Janabi by US marines who then burned her body and killed her 1 year old sister and parents. Unless we recognise and stop our own terrorist acts abroad there will be no safety for anyone.

Khan, Aberdeen,

We were lucky, my foot. They were pitiably incompetent. The IRA must be in stitches laughing.

It does not surprise me that Muslim fanatics would be useless at the technical job of planning and executing bomb attacks. They come from an entire system of thought and life insulated from empirical fact. They put the pieces together like savages mixing a spell, and thought their god and their grand gesture would be enough. Reality best to differ. "C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre".

Julian Morrison, Reading, Berkshire

For starters, when will Hizb ut-Tahrir be criminalized?
Until UK takes action on radical Islamist groups, UK has no place to start the fight.

Jeff, Washington, DC, USA