The horror of yesterday’s terror attack on Westminster exposed Londoners to what the citizens of Paris, Berlin and Nice already know.
That in the current, febrile climate of violent Islamist terrorism there is no defence to those who are committed to killing.
Where once the Kalashnikov and the bomb were the terrorist’s weapons of choice they have been ditched for the low tech car and knife.
In 2015, well armed terror cells closely controlled from inside Syria were able to bring carnage to the streets of Paris and Brussels in carefully planned attacks.
The counter-terrorism response across Europe was slow but effective, making it difficult for terror cells to organise themselves within the Muslim communities where they had sought shelter.
But this has isolated many young Muslims who have removed themselves from mainstream society so that they have become easy prey to online radicalisers.
Security services across Europe have discovered very quickly that there is little they can do to stop a lone wolf terrorist who keeps his deadly plans to himself.
In July last year dozens of people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display to mark the Bastille Day holiday.
Months later a lone attacker drove a lorry into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing several people and injuring dozens more.
Both Islamic State and al Qaida have previously urged followers to use vehicles to carry out attacks.
Police believe the man who carried out the attack on Westminster killing three people including a police officer, acted alone.
Theresa May went further and told Parliament today the suspect was British born and has previously been investigated by MI5.
Now politicians, advised by counter-terrorism experts, will turn their attention to how to combat home-grown terrorists who answer the call to jihad by using their cars and kitchen knives to carry out atrocities.
There will be demands for more armed police officers, greater surveillance and powers to tap our phones and computers.
But the truth is the recent presence of heavily armed robocops who now police London’s streets can only help to reassure the public. The stark reality is they can’t prevent the kind of attacks witnessed on Westminster Bridge yesterday and at the gates of the Houses of Parliament.
- Robert Verkaik is the author of Jihadi John: the Making of a Terrorist
- He tweets at: @robertverkaik1
