OUR age is the age of the media. With so many TV and satellite channels, radio stations, newspapers, websites, the competition for audiences, readers and general public attention is always very keen. When something that is close to people’s hearts takes place, no media channel can afford to be seen lagging behind. Everyone wants to be on the spot, bringing the latest and highlighting a scoop. There is often little time for verification and authentication. Hype is always carried to a higher pitch; soundbites are constantly dreamt up by editors; and spin remains in vogue.

With such a continuous flood of fast information, what chance is there for any of us to get to the truth?

The last few days have brought an unprecedented flow of material, looking back at the events of Sept. 11 and the eventful year that followed. Nothing can detract from the horror of what happened a year ago; but how closer does all the media attention — not only this week, but throughout the year — bring us to the prevention of a similar horror? Very little, I suppose; because the terrorist is winning.

The question for which I cannot find a satisfactory answer is: Why has Islam been inseparably linked to terrorism in general and to the events of Sept. 11 in particular? Islam inculcates in its followers a sense of justice that must transcend narrow interests and personal grievances. Justice must be seen to be done to friend and foe alike. No injustice may be countenanced, even against the most hardened of enemies of Islam. This principle has been put in practice whenever Islam was implemented in any Muslim community. Moreover, Islam teaches that injustice cannot be repelled by similar injustice. Unbelievers may resort to unjust practices in their dealings with Muslims, but Muslims may not retaliate in kind so as to inflict injustice on others, not even on aggressors. Islam wants its followers to seek God’s support in order to achieve success in their efforts. God’s support is never granted to those who are unjust.

Hence, for a Muslim to board a plane carrying many passengers and crew members, with the intention of crashing it into a high-rise building where thousands are targeted, is absolutely incomprehensible to Islamic minds. There can be no justification in Islam for such an act. Yet from the very first day accusing fingers were pointed at Islam and Muslims. A year later, many still consider Islam and Muslims to be responsible, allowing the hawks in Washington to press for further strikes against Muslim countries. If these people carry the day, the terrorist would continue to be the winner.

To my mind, the terrorist who planned the events of Sept. 11 has scored a victory in several ways. I do not count the events themselves as a victory for terror. These were horrible tragedies that may not be measured in terms of victory and defeat. But the most important victory the terrorist has scored is the fact that the US and Britain have been willing to sacrifice some of their most important ideals, such as freedom, justice and the rule of law. Arrests and detention without trial or plausible charges have been carried out in the name of the “war on terrorism”. As long as those who are arrested are “foreigners”, then the US Congress and the British Houses of Parliament are prepared to pass laws approving indefinite detention without trial. Thus, instead of bringing pressure to bear on dictatorships to return to the rule of law, these two countries, which pride themselves on their democratic principles, have been importing dictatorial measures and tyrannical tactics. Could there be a worse blow to freedom and democracy? As the terrorist looks at such measures adopted by the US and Britain, he is overjoyed at his success, because he knows that this is the beginning of the decline of Western civilization.

The US went further and granted the terrorist another victory when it froze the assets of charitable organizations whose