The vast majority of these - often second- or third-generation - immigrants want nothing more than a peaceful life and the chance of prosperity for their families. Immigrants from the Indian subcontinent are prominent in the small business sector in British towns and cities, as North African immigrants are in France. But in both countries there are large groups of extremists, some of them trained in the use of weapons in the various Middle Eastern wars, who live quite openly in cities and quietly recruit followers from local Muslim communities. But these are protected by the authorities, fearful of the outbreak of general anti-Muslim hostility, which would indeed be most unwelcome as the majority of Muslim citizens are peaceful.

However, the work of keeping the peace is often frustrated by the activities of self-appointed Muslim "community leaders" who resent any outside interference in what they think of as "their" affairs. So the authorities protect the radicals and their activities, both from attack and from criticism which might incite an attack; this means that nothing can actually be done about people and groups spreading disaffection until they have actually performed an act of terrorism. Usually, this can be prevented by the hard work of the security services: but, while at the grass roots subversive activities continue to be tolerated and protected from popular criticism and scrutiny, some of the plots and conspiracies will inevitably come to fruition. Even the best-organized police cannot be everywhere; they need support from the wider community.

China is very fortunate in being geographically distant from the unholy mess which is the Middle East, and also in having a largely homogeneous population with well-integrated minorities. But, as the world becomes more tightly interlinked, a process in which China is playing a substantial part, it may become less easy to avoid contamination by the mindless hatreds which have their origins there. The combination, to which China has always aspired, of good treatment for peaceful minorities and zero tolerance for terrorist activities, will come under more pressure in the years to come, but remains the correct policy.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/opinion/timcollard.htm

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