How do we stop terrorism?

How do we stop terrorism? We all know the answer is complex – with measures to stop people already determined to commit mass murder and policies to tackle the causes of terrorism.

The political debate will be about what works best – not the objective.

The awful irony of the end of Irish terrorism just days after the London bombing should give us confidence that democracy and law will win – whilst warning that the struggle can be long and painful.

There are lessons from beating three decades of IRA bombings. Total resolve to win. The best security services, with highly technical skills and the ability to infiltrate obscure organisations and “turn” opponents. Plus a long term drive to win the hearts and minds of the communities IRA-Sinn Fein claimed to represent.

Yet the differences between today’s threat and the IRA are stark and chilling. A terrorism driven not by nationalism, but by a totalitarian ideology, equivalent to fascism or communism. A terrorist organisation – if it can be called that - feeding on real and perceived grievances as disparate as Israel-Palestine, Iraq and youth disaffection in the backstreets of Leeds. And suicide bombers changing our security response.

Ministers are understandably anxious to be seen to be “doing something.” Yet it’s more important that we get the responses right. This difficult, dangerous problem will be with us much longer than yesterday’s headlines.