Western European countries, particularly France and Britain, are the products of their Imperialist historical legacy. They oppressed and exploited the people in their colonies and manipulated the governments and economies of the post-colonial era. Military intervention to prop up or overthrow such governments has a long history and continues to this day. Western support for Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians also remains a cause célèbre of disgruntled Muslims. Anyone descended from people from a former colony with half an understanding of the impact of imperialism will feel indignant at how the suffering of their people is portrayed as insignificant in Western media and public opinion.

Modern communications technology makes it easy for people to unravel the ties that bind the modern world to colonial oppression and to find likeminded people on a global scale. Unfortunately, this means that mass murderers, fascists, schoolyard killers, Islamic terrorists and others are all able to win supporters and launch acts of terror. They are often motivated by half-baked conspiracy theories from the Internet, which are then reinforced by real world facts to construct a narrative preaching that European people and institutions should be targeted to "get a taste of their own medicine." Wherever there is a powerful, motivating and unifying cause or faith, individuals and groups will be able to find allies, work together, recruit others and carry out deadly attacks.

We live in dangerous times. Globalized media and communications constantly serve to replicate and magnify the possibility that deranged individuals will seek infamy through barbaric acts. These are easier to carry out with a spiritual cause to fight for. But the tightening of surveillance cannot halt this barbarism. Rather, a sense of collective solidarity is required to minimize the attractive power of Islamic fundamentalism and of right-wing movements in Europe.

Such unity must be able to cut through religious and national identity and have the capacity to think and act globally. Social movements in the 1960s and 1970s challenged the rulers of Europe at the same time as anti-imperialist liberation struggles in the colonies fought for independence. A revival of the European workers' movement, fighting to improve the living standards of the majority, and awareness of the need to combat historical injustices carried out by powerful nations could help to slow down and reverse the destruction of reason and hope that we are witnessing today.

The writer is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:http://china.org.cn/opinion/heikokhoo.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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