I believe that the US, the West and the rest of the international community should take several steps to combat terrorism originating in the Middle East and western Asia.

The first step, as it is expected, is a swift response by the Americans, and probably supported by the UN Security Council and other nations, against training camps, military instillations and intelligence services of bin Laden and networks associated with him and with his much isolated extremist version of Islam. This step is likely to be taken by the US.

However, caution must be taken regarding the situation of Afghan people being held hostage by the Taliban. The Northern Alliance opposed to the Taliban and other Afghan opposition groups living in exile are the best possible alternatives to the Taliban. They must be supported by the international community.

The second step, which is being proposed by political analysts, politicians and terrorist experts, is to crack down on the main sources of Middle Eastern terrorism.

This includes two phases: first, to put pressure on Pakistan to close down Islamic schools, centres and institutions belonging to or supportive of bin Laden and his extremist, destructive, superficial ideology; second, isolating bin Laden's followers around the world and monitoring their activities by efficient intelligence and other appropriate means.

The third step, which has not been raised so far by political analysts, Western media and experts, is a longer-term strategy against the terrorism that originates in the Middle East. In this step, the West and the rest of the world – including Islamic nations – should find the real source of the growing destructive terrorism in the Middle East and western Asia. They have to find where the ideology and financial support behind bin Laden, his 20,000 trained Arab mil- itia and associated groups comes from.

The ideology comes from within Saudi Arabia (not directly related to the Saudi Government). Traditional clergies who have isolated themselves from the rest of the Islamic world, arrogantly claiming the sole authority to interpret Islam, have a simplistic view of religion. They have influenced elements of Islamic societies in Egypt, Algeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The financial support comes from within Saudi Arabia and other rich Arab states of the Gulf. Again, governments of those small oil-rich countries are not involved. However, the Saudi Government and those Arab states in the Gulf should co-operate in combating the extremist ideology that is not shared by the overwhelming majority of Muslims and Arabs in the Middle East and around the world.

That extremist ideology is attractive in countries where poverty makes many people desperate and provides quick solutions to their problems.

So Afghanistan, almost-bankrupt Pakistan and perhaps in the near future Iraq are the places where the extremist ideology behind the terrorism can easily attract people.

The danger is that no country in the world is prepared to be involved in any activities that could offend the Saudi authorities and other oil-rich Arab states. More than 60 per cent of the world's main energy source, oil, comes from Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states. A long-term solution must consider these factors carefully.

The extradition and punishment of bin Laden and destruction of his military and training bases in Afghanistan and Pakistan, though necessary, are not enough to break the back of those narrow-minded followers of death and destruction.

Not only have they killed thousands of innocent people and disrupted the life of many Americans, they have also shamed the reputation of Islam and its civilisation.