The basics have been neglected for too long

Nearly a fortnight after the horrific terrorist attacks in France, the nations who see themselves as the most likely targets of Islamic fundamentalism are busy trying to ensure that a repeat is avoided.

The thwarting last week of a potential attack in Belgium suggests both that there is a co-ordinated campaign to intimidate societies throughout the West, and that intelligence has been sharpened up to make at least some security services better aware of it.

But what should really worry the potential victims of terrorism is that, for all the plans to increase vigilance that have been announced by various governments, the level of response remains at what can best be described as the rhetorical.

Leave aside the platitudes from governments about how terrorism will not be allowed to win, and from the majority of Muslims and their community leaders who revile these terrorist acts just as much as anybody else does, and who condemn them unreservedly. Western societies have heard such things for years, and they have become almost meaningless.

SimonHeffer: We rely on intelligence too heavily to thwart terror attacks and ignore basic defences