There is still a great deal of blind nonsense believed about terrorism. There are a number of people who see all terror attacks as the work of the CIA or Mossad or some shadowy Western organization; certainly no Arab or Muslim or anyone from the developing world could be involved. As for Al-Qaeda, the fantasists continue, if it exists at all (which they doubt), it could not have mounted an operation such as 9/11.

A second group accepts that Al-Qaeda and associated terror groups exist but takes the view it is counterproductive to attack them; it will only make them worse. Monday’s US operation against an Al-Qaeda-linked Shabab cell in southern Somalia which resulted in the death of Ali Saleh Nabhan, wanted by a number of governments for attacks in Kenya, is already cited as such a case. (Some people even manage to be in both groups at the same time, denying that Al-Qaeda had anything to do with 9/11 and blaming it on some anti-Muslim groups, then puffing with pride that the US was so devastatingly hit.)

This second group is just as off the wall as the 9/11 deniers. If terrorists are left alone, what is to stop them plotting and killing even more people?

Al-Qaeda exists. It was responsible for 9/11. It was behind the Madrid train bombings, the 7/7 London bombings and many, many other murderous outrages around the world. It was behind numerous attacks in the Kingdom, most recently the attempted assassination of Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs Prince Muhammad bin Naif. Those who deny its existence or its evil activities are participating in a giant lie. Their views on the subject are therefore worthless. How can someone have a solution if he or she does not understand the problem in the first place?

The overwhelming majority of people in the Kingdom, like the majority of people around the world, do not fall into that category. They know that extremism and terrorism exist; too many Saudis and expatriates have been its victims.

That has not stopped the few sounding off through the Internet and letters pages. This paper receives a regular flow of letters from 9/11 deniers, a number of Americans among them, most of them unprintable. Occasionally, one or two are published, only because it would be irresponsible to pretend that such views do not exist. (Denial of 9/11 is not the only subject about which we receive unprintable letters; the hatred expressed against Islam and against Arabs can be deeply shocking).

Saudi Arabia’s policy on terrorism must be a shock to both the deniers and appeasers. It is to seek, target and, where necessary, destroy the terrorists. We say “where necessary” because it is also carrot as well as stick. As was reaffirmed by Interior Minister Prince Naif just two days ago, one arm of the policy is to engage with the militants, trying to re-educate them and reintegrate them back into society. That continues, but so too does a relentless security campaign against them.

There will be no letup in it, regardless of what the deniers and appeasers think.