I refer to the letter American perception problem of Muslims and the article Exploiting the paranoia over Islamic terrorism .

There is little doubt now in the minds of many Americans (and Westerners) that many in the Muslim world, for whatever reason, hate them and want them dead. The numerous terrorist organisations that have sprung up around the world (who are Muslim and fight in the name of Islam) have made it clear that it is open season on Westerners.

The Israelis have lived with this for over 50 years. They face an opponent who does not want peace but the complete annihilation of their entire people. Like the Israelis, the Western democracies are starting to develop a siege mentality and all the dangers that come with that.

The terrible acts of Sept 11 were committed by people who walked among them whom they had generously allowed into their country. I don't blame them for being paranoid.

With the added awareness that came from Sept 11, those in the West are starting to realise that there is a growing fifth column of Islamists in their midst.

Even some of those who are in the country legally, after arriving in the country due to an open and generous immigration policy, now openly preach in the mosques and 'madrasah' (as is their right under free speech) the destruction of Western democracy in favour of an Islamic state with Syariah law at its core.

Even the most fervent apologist for Islamist extremists cannot deny that this is happening.

Yet given all this, I am always surprised when all the fingers get pointed at the West and criticism is levelled at the Western democracies for their paranoia and the inevitable mistrust of some Muslims that arises from such paranoia.

Yet no blame at all is levelled at the source of that paranoia namely the terrorists (and those who cheer them on) who target schools, shopping malls and high rise towers filled with thousands of innocents who had nothing to do with the perceived injustices for which they commit these heinous acts in the first place.

There will be far less paranoia in the West if more and more peace-loving Muslims around the world would openly and vociferously condemn their Muslim brethren who commit horrible crimes in the name of Islam.

They say that Islam is a religion of peace but how can the average Westerner hear this when the words are drowned out by the actions of terrorists and betrayed by the silence that comes from the rest?