Jurgen Habermas

“The difference between political terror and ordinary crime becomes clear during the change of regimes, in which former terrorists become well-regarded representatives of their country.”

“Historically, terrorism falls in a category different from crimes that concern a criminal court judge.”

“The scenarios of biological or chemical warfare painted in detail by the American media during the months after September 11 only betray the inability of the government to determine the magnitude of the danger.”

“Today's Islamic fundamentalism is also a cover for political motifs. We should not overlook the political motifs we encounter in forms of religious fanaticism.”

“Perhaps September 11 could be called the first historic world event in the strictest sense: the impact, the explosion, the slow collapse - a gruesome reality literally took place in front of a global public.”

“Each murder is one too many.”

“The misery in war-torn Afghanistan is reminiscent of images from the Thirty Years' War.”

“I cannot imagine a context that would some day, in some manner, make the monstrous crime of September 11 an understandable or comprehensible political act.”

“The state is in danger of falling into disrepute due to the evidence of its inadequate resources.”

“Global terrorism is extreme both in its lack of realistic goals and in its cynical exploitation of the vulnerability of complex systems.”