The horrendous ten synchronised terrorist attacks in Madrid, that have killed some 193 and caused injuries to over 1,400 innocents, are clearly a major escalation in the phenomenon international terrorism. The initial estimate of the separatist Basque militants having caused the massacre is already giving way to suspicions of some radical Islamic group, possibly Osama bin-Laden’s Al-Qaeda, being involved. It is likely that the latter may have undertaken the ghastly deed in some sort of collusion with the former. The Al-Qaeda had issued a warning last October declaring that Spain, among others who cooperated with the United States, would be targeted. Spain has troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.With Al-Qaeda under the increasing pressure of the parallel campaign launched by the US and Pakistan military in the Afghanistan-Pakistan borderlands, and with Iraq staggering into a make or break point by mid-year, the escalation of violence by Islamist radical groups was to be expected. The problem is that it has become that much more difficult to forecast the next attack. We need to keep reminding ourselves that the war through terror is qualitatively different from the wars armies fight even in today’s world, where targeting from beyond visual range reduces the victims’ ability to respond adequately before being hit. Keeping up ambiguity and a certain amount of confusion about the identity of the terrorist group may well be part of the new strategy.Uncertainty about the nature and identity of the enemy, the source of the violence, the direction of attack and the ambiguity about any follow-on attacks, all add up to creating a pervasive sense of vulnerability that could rapidly create a sense of helplessness. Liberal societies may be forced to adopt even more curbs on rights and freedoms. The unpleasant truth must be faced: the terrorist holds the initiative since he/she can choose the time, space and the method of attack. And modern society provides innumerable situations which can be exploited by ruthless killers who set no value on human life. Most of the responses then can only come post-facto. Hence the software of long-term ideological responses is as important as the hardware of immediate counter-terrorism measures.
