WITH the worst terrorist attack in France since the Second World War, it is clear that there is nothing that the barbaric forces of ISIS will stop at in their crusade to spread fear, intimidation and mayhem across the world. The events in Paris show once again that it is the democratic countries who are targets, the innocent who are vulnerable and the peaceful who pay the price.

But as our hearts go out to those massacred in Paris and the families they have left behind we must look at our own vulnerabilities and the threat posed by our own home-grown crop of Jihadists.

We have to ask ourselves what we have to do to defend the core values of our society – the values of Peace, Tolerance and Liberty and to ensure we are safe.

And we have to face hard questions – about passenger profiling on aeroplanes, or enforcing zero tolerance for extremist teaching and practices. Of course, we celebrate diversity – and Britain is a richer place for its cultural mix and religious tolerance, and we must always respect our reputation as a place of sanctuary for those escaping terror.

But to wipe out this poisonous extremist ideology we have to be clear that there is no place for it, in any form, in Britain. To fail to condemn these attacks is to support them.

And to fail to recognise that the world is changing and that we do not need a full spectrum response of military power, counter-terrorism and anti-extremism measures, backed up with investments in cyber security and Special Forces capabilities is simply short-sighted.