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Terrorism is a worldwide plague

Only about 7.5 percent of Sri Lankans are Christians, but even that tiny number apparently is intolerable to Muslim extremists. On Easter Sunday morning, as many of the country’s Christians were celebrating Easter, the terrorists slaughtered nearly 300 of them in a series of church bombings. About 500 people were injured.

It seems not to occur to the Muslim terrorists that the faith they claim — falsely — to defend does not condone such viciousness. Ironically, the name of the group responsible in Sri Lanka translates to “a group in the name of oneness of God.”

Once again, the civilized world is reminded of the ubiquitousness of Islamic terrorism. It is present virtually everywhere, reminding us of that frequently in bloody assaults.

Even listing the names and locations of every Muslim terrorist group would require more space than we can devote. These records, however, and they truly are frightening.

Think for just a moment of all the countries in which Islamic terrorist attacks have occurred during just the past two years: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Australia, Morocco, Jordan, the Netherlands, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Belgium, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Libya, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Iraq, Finland, Spain and Sweden. Again, those are just within the past 24 months.

Clearly, violent Islamic extremism is a global scourge. Every nation in the world should be doing all in its power to eliminate the threat. Yet, as we have seen in Syria, the terrorists too often have become diplomatic and political pawns.

Unless and until a truly united front is established, the murderers will continue to flourish. The war against terrorism — and it needs to be just that — simply must be mounted in earnest. Otherwise, more rivers of blood will flow.

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