The terror war we can win

Ross Clark says that if the government were to mount a real fight, we could defeat the animal rights terrorists — and prevent unnecessary suffering in the laboratories

Besides the hefty clunk of The Spectator on your doormat this week, you will shortly be receiving HMG’s advice on how citizens should cope with a terrorist attack with weapons of mass destruction. It tells us to stock up with bottled water, tinned food and a tin opener. It is a noble exercise, preparing people for the worst, even if the government’s last grim warnings about the dangers of weapons of mass destruction turned out to be a little wide of the mark. But it would also be nice to know that officials were taking such a proactive approach to the terrorist threat that already manifests itself daily and threatens the lives of thousands of innocent Britons: that from animal rights extremists.

This Friday the government plans to announce its new strategy on dealing with animal rights fanatics.