Keep terror off our doorstep

IT WAS about eight months ago, in February, when the British government sent out a warning to its citizens about a terror threat from extremists linked to the Islamic State (IS) in our country.

The warning came soon after an elderly couple – with both South African and British citizenship – were apparently kidnapped near a dam in Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal.

The two suspects arrested in connection with the case were allegedly linked to terrorism.

Most South Africans did not appear to take the warnings seriously; they were probably under the impression we’re far too distant from the epicentre of terrorism in countries further north and that we were relatively safe from such a threat.

In fact, even the South African government did not take too kindly to the alert, accusing the UK government of acting in haste and exaggerating the situation. This caused a diplomatic strain between the two countries.

Since February, however, the picture appears to have changed dramatically.

With every passing day, South Africans are being told of allegations of sinister plots to plant and detonate bombs, extort money from prominent businesses, and kidnap and murder people.

What is also disturbing is the spectre of sectarian rifts in the community which is an anathema to the culture of religious tolerance our country has nurtured and respected since the advent of democracy.

The fingerprints of the IS in the reign of terror are becoming more apparent by the day, especially after the arrest of 11 suspects and their appearance in court on a range of serious charges in connection with an attack on a Verulam mosque and the discovery of incendiary devices at several Durban stores.

Many city residents are understandably anxious about their safety.

They say they are shocked at what police have discovered in recent raids on homes – the rescue of a man who was allegedly being held captive in Reservoir Hills; and the discovery of several IS flags at one of the residences.

The allegations that have emerged so far should be taken seriously.

Although we cannot draw immediate conclusions, South Africans need to be on guard that terrorism does not have any opportunity of taking root in our country.

We have far greater priorities and challenges to take care of, like nation building, promoting social cohesion, eliminating poverty and addressing the stark imbalances we inherited from the past.

We certainly don’t need the threat of terrorism on our doorstep.