ONLY the ineptitude of the would-be bombers, some well-placed concrete barriers and the spontaneous intervention of have-a-go members of the public this weekend prevented Glasgow from joining a growing list of global terrorist atrocity sites. It is a list already etched in innocent blood from Bali via Madrid to London and New York. As if a reminder were needed, the bungled airport attack also reinforced the message that radical Islamic terrorism recognises no national frontiers in the pursuit of maximising the shock propaganda value of mass casualties. More chillingly, the first indications are that the footsoldiers prepared to carry out both the Glasgow and London attempts were probably "home-grown" second or third-generation jihadis recruited from the UK's wider Asian community.

ONLY the ineptitude of the would-be bombers, some well-placed concrete barriers and the spontaneous intervention of have-a-go members of the public this weekend prevented Glasgow from joining a growing list of global terrorist atrocity sites. It is a list already etched in innocent blood from Bali via Madrid to London and New York. As if a reminder were needed, the bungled airport attack also reinforced the message that radical Islamic terrorism recognises no national frontiers in the pursuit of maximising the shock propaganda value of mass casualties. More chillingly, the first indications are that the footsoldiers prepared to carry out both the Glasgow and London attempts were probably "home-grown" second or third-generation jihadis recruited from the UK's wider Asian community.

Luck and blunders aside, the instant willingness of new Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown to include new SNP Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond in the Cobra emergency committee deliberations that followed Saturday's fiery ram-raid on Glasgow Airport's check-in area was a positive gesture that, hopefully, bodes well for their future relationship. It was the right move taken for reasons which patently transcend party political boundaries and differences, and should be welcomed as such, not least because it would have been highly unlikely under Downing Street's previous incumbent.

Where terrorism is concerned, there is only one common enemy. Both leaders also adopted a sensible, unified stance in calling for calm and urging the public to return as swiftly as possible to normality and routine to deny al Qaeda or its affiliates the satisfaction of panic or extended economic disruption.

Sir Willie Rae, Strathclyde's self-effacing chief constable, was another who rose to the occasion, taking an unusual but welcome lead in fronting press conferences for the world's media. In times of crisis, people want to see and hear the men and women in charge to enable them to take confidence from the fact that everything possible is being done to ensure their safety.

Gordon Brown's confident but concerned leadership style is serving him well in these early days in office. Longer-term, however, how he tackles the war on terror, including Britain's role in Iraq, could well be the measure that defines his success or failure as Prime Minister.

Right now, however, is not the time for knee-jerk reaction at government or street level. More attacks may well be in the pipeline. Sooner or later, by the laws of natural malice, one is almost certain to be successful. Boosting security at airports and possibly railway stations necessarily will involve new delays and fresh commuter stresses, but losing an hour in transit is preferable to losing innocent lives by giving the extremists an opportunity to bypass safeguards.

There must also be no suggestion of finding scapegoats among an Asian population that is overwhelmingly law-abiding and peaceful in outlook, and whose members stand the same chance of becoming victims of the bombers as any other section of society.

Muslims died and were among the maimed in the July 7 attacks in London two years ago. Dozens were also killed on September 11, 2001. Terrorists, despite their declared affiliations, are prepared to write off their supposed co-religionists as justifiable collateral damage when push comes to shove under their distorted version of holy war.

It is, however, time for all sections of the community to heed the call for unity and vigilance in the face of a shared threat. In that respect, the leaders of the Muslim community throughout Britain should be prepared to play their full part. Until now, many have been in denial that a small element of their own disaffected youth is capable of atrocity against fellow citizens. While many mosques have quietly driven out the hard-line preachers of hate, the real menace lurks in the shadows of Islamic society at fringe groups set up to groom jihadi volunteers.

Where British Muslims become aware of individuals playing recruiting sergeant for al Qaeda or any of its other extremist offshoots, they must have no hesitation in contacting the police. For British Muslims, the choice cannot be between country and religion or culture and public responsibility. The only way to combat extremism is to expose its advocates without regard for creed, colour or misplaced ethnic or family loyalty. Freedom of religion - not just for Muslims but for those of all faiths - comes with a democratic price.