Submitted by Eric M. Bram, May 17, 2007 13:03

In the penultimate and final paragraphs of his column Mr. Johnson correctly defines Islamism, a term which Mr. Cameron obviously misunderstands, but the difference between saying "Catholic terrorists" and "Islamist terrorists" is more than just whether their respective "martyrs" die or kill for their respective religions.

Catholicism and Islam are religions. Islam is a crusading ideology, like the ideology of the Crusaders. The primary difference regarding terminology is not what the targets are actually doing (although that is certainly relevant as to whether they are terrorists at all). In terms of rhetoric, talking about "Islamic terrorists" would indeed be the same as talking about "Catholic terrorists." But saying "Islamist terrorists" is no more an affront to the religion(s) of the innocent as saying "Crusader terrorists."

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