We all know how the world was altered in a few minutes, but what has become of Arab News?

From that date, the paper began to engage with readers in Vancouver, New York, Birmingham and Sydney. Within the country, everyone reads Arab News — from the loyal Filipino and his local basketball team, the Indians and Pakistanis who were obsessed with cricket and their politics at home to the Saudi who was following the NBA. All of a sudden Arab News became responsible for communicating to the world what the Saudi citizen thought of 9/11. What did Islam say about killing innocent civilians? Why did Palestine remain a constant issue? Did we really hate the West and love Osama Bin Laden? We had to address all these issues for the sake of our foreign readers who were keen to follow — and reflect on — what we published on our website.

But what was more important was to find answers to these questions for ourselves and for the sake of the Arab and Muslim conscience. For the first time we had to respond to what was written by Bernard Lewis, Thomas Friedman and Fareed Zakaria in their books, in American publications and all over the media.

At the same time, self-initiated queries erupted. Could it have been a coincidence that 15 out of 19 suicide bombers were Saudis? Who — and what — motivated them? Was it a mistake to allow hundreds of our enthusiastic youth to go to Afghanistan? I was one of those who protested the anti-Afghanistan campaign — for I was one of the pioneers who went there. More than a decade ago, I wrote about my experiences there and Arab News published the first interview with Osama Bin Laden that I conducted which gave details of the Arab Mujahideen in Afghanistan after spending weeks with them in the midst of the war. Arab News allowed me to introduce Osama Bin Laden to the world!

It was very interesting to work with Arab News because we were witnessing a new era in the media. The media became more lively and the “From the Local Press” column was born.

Before 9/11, all media stories were about appraising or noting events. So none was gripping to read. Two years later, I moved to Al-Watan to respond to yet another emerging new chapter.  I took with me what I had learned working in the English-language press — precise, easy reading and writing with clear and valid facts.

At Arab News I made my absolute decision to stand against radicalism and accept no justification for it. It was a decision that led to accusations against me that I subscribed to George Bush’s view “If You are Not With Us, You are Against Us” — and I did indeed.

With terrorism we have no choice. It is like dealing with cancer. There is no time to analyze the reasons why it invades  healthy cells because by the time we are done analyzing, the cancer will have conquered the body and killed it.

Terrorism does not embody change. It embodies total political and social evolution and inversion. It aims to establish its own community by eradicating us.

I witnessed radicalism in hate letters Arab News received from readers in Vancouver, New York, Birmingham and Sydney. One in particular I received at my address in Arab News.

I believe that it took hours to prepare; it was a drawing and movie of a white blonde man urinating on the Saudi flag. This hateful act preceded the Danish cartoons, an act of radicalism and hate.

At Arab News I learned diversity. A diverse team in its literal meaning — Saudis, Indians, British, Filipinos, Bangladeshis and Yemenis; male and female. Sometimes we agreed and at other times, we differed. But we all worked as a team to produce an outstanding newspaper for a diverse audience. I am proud and happy to have once been with Arab News.

— Jamal Khashoggi is the editor in chief of Al-Watan.