Confronting our homegrown terrorists

If it is confirmed that Russian forces did kill Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last month, any sense of achievement must be tempered by a report that suggests we face a “predominantly homegrown” jihadist terror threat, that repressive measures were “inevitable” and that Western countries need better intelligence co-operation. 

The report, from the International Centre for Counter Terrorism and the Program on Extremism at the George Washington University pointed out that nearly three out of four attackers were citizens of the country where they launched attacks.

It seems al-Baghdadi’s death will make little difference to those who would try to destroy societies that offer them sanctuary and opportunity unheard of in their home country. The rejection of the values cherished by host countries is a direct consequence of the hate spread by al-Baghdadi and, like it or not, that phenomenon represents a threat to our way of life.