Islamism is an ideology and a problematic one to be sure. But it’s a political ideology using religion as its justification, rather than a religious ideology using political ends. Islam is no more keen on conversion than any other religion, and historically non Muslims were welcome in Islamic countries. Whereas non christians (and even christians of the wrong sect) have long been persecuted in Europe.
I’m not keen on religion full stop, but can we stop pretending Islam has some monopoly on religious persecution?
The existence of Islamic extremism I’m not denying. It exists and it’s a problem. But the Global Terrorism Index shows that it’s impact is waning, not rising, in the west and there are other sources of terrorism that are more of a problem. Which is the only point I want to make here.
Being treated as a terrorist incident does not automatically make it religiously motivated, does not automatically make it Islamism extremism. It may well be. It still exists. But it’s not a default.