Now here's a Thought for the Day that has a certain resonance in our current situation, even if it was written thirteen years ago, and the terrorist being talked of was non-muslim. Yet even here, you see the the language being transferred across. Now when was the last time you heard of a non-muslim terrorist - except in raps about the US & UK governments. Like it says.

We do need our superstars, whether they be models or musicians, footballers or terrorists. Individuals must be found to represent perfection, and also ultimate depravity. In Carlos the Jackal we have a convenient figurehead, but his removal won't kill the body of terrorism, and we must beware of the way that his capture will be used as a prop for political argument. For example, basking in the glow of catching Carlos, the French Interior Minister also runs a campaign opposing Algerian Islamic Movements.

It's a mistake to blur the borders between terrorist groups and popular movements. Terrorists believe that aims can be achieved by frightening people into submission. It is the weapon of a minority, and can be used from the bottom up and the top down, by an individual terrorist and his cronies, or by a dictator and his henchmen. They think the same, which is why one often employs the other. Catching the employee will not get rid of the employer, but it might distract us long enough to give him a P.R. face lift.

Popular movements are the reversal of public terror. Their strength comes not from ruthlessness but fearlessness, and their preferred methods are peaceful and democratic. But class all popular and extremist movements as "anti-government" and we bundle those who want peaceful change with those advocating terrorism. Then it seems OK if their rulers use terror to keep them all under control.

For Algeria we use logic from Alice in Wonderland. Eighty two percent of the population vote out the military government, and when the military disregard the elections we agree, saying the eighty two percent are fundamentalist extremists wanting to overthrow democracy. What democracy?

According to Muhammad, extremists aren't even practising the fundamentals of Islam. He called Islam the middle way, the religion of truth and tolerance. His community was multicultural and multifaith, and a man's worth was judged, not by power and wealth, but by trustworthiness, his love and care for his neighbours, his generosity, his good works and his piety. Terrorism will never bring you a society based on those fundamentals.