The Brits and Terror

You can take one reassuring thing from the alarming story about Islamist terrorists allegedly planig to abducty and behead a British soldier in Britain. It's the following:

The suspects - believed to be of Pakistani origin - were detained under the Terrorism Act after a six-month surveillance operation. It is thought they are being held in Coventry. Two are said to be males aged 31 and 29. The latter has been named locally as Amjad Mahmood. Brunt said officers feared the alleged plot was "coming to fruition".

Recall that the alleged plot to bring down several airplanes over the Atlantic was also exposed because the suspects had been under intense surveillance for months. The awful news is that these fanatics exist; the less-awful news is that their neighbors and friends obviously have an eye on them, and the police are on the case. This kind of police work is essential - just as essential as the more conventional forms of warfare.