Writing a book about al Qaeda is a tremendous challenge. Despite the fact that so much has been said and written about international Islamic terrorism, to the point where it sometimes seems as if everybody is an expert on the matter, our understanding of this highly perturbing phenomenon is at best superficial. Hence the importance of a book like this. From a plural perspective, the authors' incisive analyses help us to obtain a clearer picture of this scourge of humanity.

This is not to criticize the public debate that is taking place about al Qaeda, however, since this undoubtedly helps confirm civil society's commitment in the battle against terrorism. The real risk arises when governments and other responsible institutions are on different wave-lengths, or when they act unilaterally or without proper coordination. This leaves citizens unprotected and indirectly allows terror to flourish.

An effective response to any form of criminal action, including terrorism, depends on striking a balance between a proactive legal approach and operational actions, and respecting the legal guarantees relating to how the former are implemented. To talk solely about the war on terror while making no reference to these legal checks and balances is to ignore the fact that we live in an international legal community, whose rules exist not just to provide moral or ethical guidance but also to be complied with.