“One year on the assassin is still out there” this is the slogan of the cover page of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The cover of the special edition to mark the first anniversary of the January 7 terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 12 people in its offices. The cover depicts a bearded man with a Kalashnikov slung across his back. The image is monochrome with the exception of striking red splatters of blood on the hem and the cuff of the man’s robes.

Many questioned the goal of the first anniversary issue of Charlie hebdo. Is this the right way to address the issue of hatred and terrorism? Many from all over the globe answered that it is a big mistake to link terrorism with religion. Islam Christianity and Judaism have nothing to do with terrorism. The Vatican criticised the anniversary edition’s cover for failing to “acknowledge or to respect believers’ faith in God regardless of the religion”.

“Behind the deceptive flag of uncompromising secularism the satirical magazine is forgetting once more what religious leaders of every faith unceasingly repeat... using God to justify hatred is a genuine blasphemy as Pope Francis has said several times.” It seems that Charlie Hebdo has not learned the lesson yet.

A year ago everyone condemned the French magazine attack. Muslim organisations in France and in the rest of the world were among the first to denounce the act and declare that Islam has nothing to do with it. International organisations and associations like the press and trade unions all over the world as well as heads of state and human rights organisations from all over the globe denounced the savagery of the barbaric act .

Such acts naturally increase the hatred and resentment and tension and discord between the peoples and nations religions and civilisations. Throughout history civilizations were built in an atmosphere of diversity tolerance and respect for others’ beliefs faith opinions and not hatred and physical liquidation. Dealing with any dissenting opinion must be based on dialogue and debate tolerance and understanding and not killing.

Terrorism has become a phenomenon that worries every nation on this globe. It’s escalating and expanding very fast. Almost every single day we hear and read about a terrorist act somewhere in this world. Killing of innocent people and the burning and destruction of properties and infrastructure are the usual targets of terrorists. The question here is what are the causes of terrorism? Who is responsible? And how to combat it? The phenomenon is very complex and multifaceted. There are political economical religious cultural and historical causes that breed terrorism. Condemnations of terrorism are not going to put an end to this crucial problem in anyway. So far the international community with its armada of organisations and associations has failed to develop a comprehensive thorough and clear definition of terrorism and so far it has not been dealing with the phenomenon in an efficient way. As far as the international community is failing to eliminate and exterminate the causes of terrorism the phenomenon is there to stay.

A major challenge to the whole world is how to deal with terrorism how to get rid of it. The perfect solution to deal with terrorism is to study its causes in a scientific and systematic way. There is no solution to the phenomenon without diagnosing the causes and finding the right procedures to combat it. Today we can find several types and forms of terrorism. Intellectual terrorism for example is the imposition of ideologies and ideas on others through propaganda and technological media power. The media today are playing a very destructive role through stereotypes propaganda and manipulation. Instead of fostering peace harmony and understanding between people civilisations nations and religions they are fabricating and inventing a reality that leads countries and people of the world to hatred racism misunderstanding and antagonism.

Terrorism has become a global phenomenon and a serious threat to the security of any country in the world regardless of its size and power. The events of September 11 are still stuck in the minds of many. What happened in Paris in January and November of last year also refers to the fall of another big country in the schemes of international terrorism. Intelligence statistics show that there are more than 6000 young Europeans fighting for Da’esh. Fighters from France alone reached 1500. This raises a crucial and important question. Where are the European countries from all of this and where are those in charge of anti-terrorist acts? The perpetrators of the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo have been in Yemen where they got their training and the money to orchestrate and execute the attack. History brings us back to the Algerian crisis of 1990-2000 where terrorists were erring in Britain France Belgium Germany and many other European countries raising money and collecting donations to establish the “Islamic state” in Algeria. In”Fins bury Park” mosque in Londonfunds were collected and Fatwas were provided by Abu Hamza Al Masri and other theorists of terrorism to kill innocent Algerians for the sake of the Islamic state with the complicity of Scotland Yard and others in charge of combatting terrorism. European countries were watching such activities and allowing terrorists to circulate and act freely under the pretext of political asylum and freedom of opinion and expression.

The question here is where were the European countries when 5000 youngsters (terrorists) left Europe to Syria Iraq and Yemen. These 5000 European men are going to perpetuate terrorist acts in Middle Eastern countries and go back to Europe to execute the plans of Da’esh and Al Qaeda. Instead of condemning terrorism European countries should focus on addressing the real causes that lead thousands of youth to delinquency and to join terrorist organisations.

The growth of Islamophobia in Europe these days is a critical issue that must be addressed and studied seriously. There is a critical problem of integration tolerance and harmony in most of European countries where scores of minorities ethnic groups and religions live side by side. Hatred racism intolerance and segregation lead to extremism and violence. Europe today more than ever before should bear responsibility and must address the real causes of terrorism. Addressing such causes in a professional way will help a lot in getting rid of terrorism. Religious groups often claim to be in possession of absolute truth while those outside the group have not yet seen the ‘light’ or are part of the forces of ‘darkness’. Many acts of violence which we consider ‘immoral’ as a means to achieve an end are in the view of the religious or ideologically motivated terrorist justified by the absolute end for which the terrorist purports to fight.

The writer is a professor of public relations and Mass Communication