IT is depressing to note that the United States now sees Europe as a more potent terrorist threat than countries traditionally linked with exporting terror.

The head of homeland security in the US, Michael Chertoff, outlined his fears in an interview.

What is interesting about this is that America does not see its own citizens of Asian or middle eastern origin as anything like the threat that it sees across the Atlantic.

Could that be because the US is so keen on instilling patriotism in all of its citizens and we in Europe - especially Britain - are not?

We have witnessed the anarchy and religious hatred emanating from so-called preachers in this country, tolerated for far too long by the authorities.

Only now are we waking up to the realisation that our policies of politically correct liberality have encouraged the spread of radicalism rather than patriotism.

Now the Americans have confirmed it for us.